Love in the Baltic
by Cuthbert72
Summary: A/U. By coincidence, JJ and Grace Blood, who, in this story, has survived the car crash meet on the same cruise ship headed for the Baltic. They find something they each need in each other. Story renamed: Formally "From Russia with Love".
1. chapter 1: A Surprise Encounter

**A/N: For this story. Grace has survived the crash, albeit with some temporary brain damage. Rich has regretfully but amicably ended his relationship with her and moved on to Cambridge university.**

 **Chapter 1: A Surprise Encounter**

It was a warm, sunny morning with a light breeze. The sea was reasonably calm, but there were enough waves to let the passengers know they were at sea. After leaving Avonmouth, the ship had rounded Lands End during the night and was sailing Eastwards up the English Channel. JJ felt he needed some fresh air and was taking a stroll on deck on the first full day of the cruise. It was obvious to observers that he was taking an exceptional interest in everything happening around him. He was one of very few young passengers on the ship. His parents were attending a talk about Rotterdam, the first port of call. After a while, he decided to sit in one of the seats on the pool deck near the stern of the ship.

While he was there, trying to relax as random thoughts were racing through his mind, he sensed that someone had occupied the adjacent seat. She was a girl, slightly younger than him, with a sweet expression. Long black curly hair framed her gentle face. Her beautifully arched eyebrows crowned a pair of large, expressive deep brown eyes.

"Hello stranger." said the girl, "You look thoughtful."

JJ snapped out of his reverie, looked round towards the girl. Her smile immediately calmed his galloping, random thoughts.

"What?" said JJ in response, "I was just daydreaming. Anyway, what prompted you to sit next to me?"

"Other than the entertainers," said the girl, smiling, "You seem to be the only other young person on the ship."

"Do I?" asked JJ.

"Yes, you do." said the girl, "I've noticed you. You seem to take a deep interest in everything around you. I'm Grace, by the way. What's your name?"

"I'm Jeremiah Jones," said JJ, "But everyone calls me 'JJ'."

"That name seems to ring a bell." observed Grace, "Do you, by any chance come from Bristol?"

"Yes, I do." said JJ.

"Does the name 'Roundview College' mean anything to you?" asked Grace.

"Yes," said JJ, "I was there for two years, studying for 'A' levels."

"Were you friendly with that boy who was murdered a couple of years ago?" asked Grace, "I think his name was Freddie McClair."

"Yes, I was." said JJ, "I was his best friend, or, at least one of his best friends. How did you get to know about that?"

"Well," said Grace, "Apart from the fact that it was all over the newspapers, my dad is David Blood. He used to be the college director at Roundview."

"I'd better be careful what I say to you then." said JJ, looking slightly concerned.

"Don't let that worry you." said Grace, smiling sweetly, "Neither of us is at college anymore."

"You went to Roundview as well?" queried JJ, "Even though your dad was the college director."

"I did," said Grace, "But I had to lie about my name. My friends knew me as Grace Violet."

"That's a pretty name." commented JJ, "It suits you better than Grace Blood. Anyway, I feel like continuing my stroll. Would you care to join me?"

"I'd love to." said Grace, "It would be nice to have some company of my own age on this cruise."

With this, the pair got up and walked towards the bow, where they could observe the other shipping plying up and down the English Channel. Just ahead of the bridge and one level down on this particular ship, was an open area of public deck from which a view straight ahead was available. Grace and JJ paused their stroll there.

"I came up here late last night." Said JJ, "The stars were beautiful."

"You love starlight then?" queried Grace.

"Of course I do." said JJ, "Doesn't everyone? It's so peaceful out here at night. There was no moon, so I could see all the stars, right down to fifth magnitude and beyond."

"Didn't all the lights on the ship disturb you?" asked Grace.

"No. This area has to be dark." Said JJ, "Otherwise the bridge crew wouldn't be able to see the sea at night."

"Don't take offence, JJ," said Grace, "But I'm beginning to sense that you are different from other guys, but in a really nice way."

As she said this, Grace looked JJ in the eyes and smiled sweetly. JJ smiled back.

"You really meant that," said JJ, surprised, "And I get this funny feeling inside when you smile like that. I feel so calm. It's a lovely experience."

"That's one of the things that make you different." said Grace, "You're so honest about your feelings. I like that. You also strike me as someone with a gentle nature."

JJ found himself blushing. He was not used to people saying such nice things about him.

"I do try to be pleasant to people," said JJ, "But it doesn't always help me. Anyway, how come your folks are taking you on a cruise? It doesn't seem the usual kind of holiday for someone your age."

"I could ask you the same question." said Grace, "I suppose I'd better tell you my story now rather than waiting till later in the cruise. That is, if you're interested."

"Of course I'm interested!" said JJ, "You seem the kind of girl who should have lots of boys wanting to be close to you."

"I suppose being the college director's daughter put most of them off." said Grace, "I did get to have a really close relationship with one boy, but a car accident in Morocco put paid to that."

"What happened?" asked JJ.

"Our little group, all eight of us went on a holiday in Morocco during the Summer break." said Grace, "One of our number, a girl called Franky was abducted by someone called Luke over there. He was on the edge of a drug dealing gang. I was sitting in a car talking to Matty, he was in our group and was attracted to Franky when Liv got in and asked him to drive after her. The last thing I remember was the car, a Land Rover swerving off the road to avoid an oncoming truck, hitting an earth bank and rolling over. I woke up in Hospital four weeks later. By the time I'd recovered enough to go back to school, Rich, he was my boyfriend had moved on to Cambridge University. When I realised what had happened, I was heartbroken. I'd known real, genuine, heartfelt love and lost it."

"That's so sad." said JJ, "Didn't you meet anyone else when you went back to school?"

"Chance would have been a fine thing!" commented Grace with some bitterness, "Daddy sent me back to Mayberry's academy, the all girls' school I'd been in before I came to Roundview. The girls there were more interested in horses than human beings. Having spent a year in a co-educational school, I wasn't happy in the girls' school anymore. My folks realised I was depressed and felt that a completely different kind of holiday might help me, so they booked me onto this cruise."

"Why this one?" queried JJ, "I thought you'd have been taken somewhere sunnier like the Mediterranean, or even the West Indies."

"I guess they thought this one would be more 'educational'." observed Grace, "What's your story?"

"Can I trust you?" asked JJ.

"That's an unexpected question." said Grace, "Why do you ask?"

"I hope this doesn't put you off," said JJ, "But there is one thing you should know about me."

"You mean your Asperger's Syndrome." said Grace, gently, "I already know about it, and it won't put me off. I suppose that explains your intense interest in everything around you."

"That's a relief." said JJ, "How did you know about it."

"About the time your friend Freddie was killed," said Grace, "Daddy told me all about his group of friends, including you. Anyway, how did you end up on this particular cruise."

The couple moved away from the deck in front of the bridge and returned towards the pool deck at the stern of the ship. They took advantage of the bar there to quench their thirsts.

"In some ways, my story is similar to yours." commenced JJ, "I did manage to get into a relationship with a very nice girl, who happened to be a single mother. Her name was Lara Lloyd. Things went quite well for a while. However, following Freddie's murder, my life began to fall apart. My girlfriend's former partner decided to take responsibility for his child and got back with his partner. I was dumped of course. Within a couple of weeks, I had lost both my best friend and my girlfriend. I felt so alone. It took a few months, but after a while, I went into something of a downward spiral. After a couple more, shall we say, 'conventional' holidays, they booked this cruise. During this time, I entered into a relationship with a really sweet girl called Katie Fitch. This seemed to have a future. We felt real love for each other. For a change, I was happy. Unfortuately, after about a year, she got herself a job in Liverpool and our relationship had to come to an end. It seems that all my relationships with girls are doomed to end after a while. I said goodbye to her at Temple Meads Station the day before yesterday. Unusually, I've got a feeling that if I start a friendship with you, it might last. I know it's early days, but so far I'm liking this cruise."

"I'm sorry to hear about your succession of 'doomed' relationships." said Grace, smiling sweetly. "Anyway, I guess meeting me has something to do with you liking this cruise."

"Well, that has improved my mood," said JJ, "But I was enjoying the cruise before you met me. It's so different from anything else."

"I'll ask you the same question you asked me." said Grace, "What caused your parents to choose this particular cruise?"

"I suppose I chose it from a selection of about six." said JJ, "It offered interesting visits and the weather won't be too hot for me. I suppose sailing from Avonmouth played a part in my choice. The other cruises departed from Southampton, Tilbury or somewhere in the tropics."

"Which visits are you looking forward to most?" asked Grace.

"I think the trip to Berlin and, of course, St Petersburg." said JJ, "I've heard and read so much about the place. I'd like to see it. A visit to Russia would also help me appreciate 'War and Peace' more."

Grace smiled broadly. What JJ had just told her fitted perfectly with her own thoughts about the cruise.

"I think we're on the same wavelength." said Grace, still smiling, "Have you any ideas about the talks. I know I'm missing the briefing on Rotterdam by being out here with you, but there are a couple of series which look interesting."

"The series of talks about the war on drugs look as they could be quite fascinating," said JJ, "And the lectures on the Romanov dynasty will be a good background to St Petersburg."

By this time, it was approaching midday, and lunchtime was near.

Grace and JJ finished their drinks and left the pool deck. They found themselves heading for the deck below.

"We seem to be going the same way." remarked JJ, "Where is your cabin?"

"On this deck on the starboard side." said Grace, "I'm meeting mummy and daddy there just before lunch. We're going to the 12:30 sitting. There's the first talk about the Romanov Dynasty this afternoon. Will you be there?"

"Certainly!" said JJ, "See you there."

"Let's hope we can sit together." said Grace, "Bye, JJ. This is my cabin."

With this comment, she stopped and knocked on a door. JJ continued to his cabin, only three doors further on. When Grace entered the cabin, it was obvious to her parents that she was really happy.

"Wow!" exclaimed Sonia, "Something nice must have happened out there. You look so cheerful."

"It has!" said Grace, "I met a boy who used to go to Roundview. We've spent the morning talking. He's really nice."

"Who is he?" queried David Blood.

"He said he was Jeremiah Jones," said Grace, "But his friends called him JJ. He's a couple of years older than me."

"You are aware that he has Asperger's." remarked David.

"Yes." said Grace, "You told me all about him when that boy was killed a couple of years ago."

"What were your first impressions of him?" asked Sonia.

He struck me as a quiet, gentle and polite young man." said Grace, "Before I realised who he was, I felt he was different from other boys - in a really nice way."

"It looks as if he's made a deep impression on you." said David.

"He has." said Grace, "I'd really love to see him again. Will you let me?"

"I know we've tried to control who you meet in the past," said David, "But since we're all on a relatively small cruise ship, I don't think we could stop you. Of course you can see him again."

"Oh, thank you, daddy!" said Grace, putting her arms round her father, "If it's alright with you, I'd like to sit with him at this afternoon's 'Romanov' talk. I know he's going."

"I don't see why not." said David, "You've obviously struck up a friendship with him. I know I haven't had much time to reflect on it, but I'm beginning to think you two could be very good for each other. Did he say what most interested him about this cruise?"

"Yes, he did." said Grace, "He mentioned that he was really looking forward to the visits to Berlin and St Petersburg. It seems we have the same ideas about the cruise."

"Did you find out his taste in music?" asked Sonia.

"We didn't get round to that." said Grace, "I guess it'll be totally different from Rich's. He was only into heavy metal when I first met him."

"Do you think he'd like Ballet?" asked Sonia, "Because I'm thinking of booking us on the Mariinsky Ballet's performance of 'Swan Lake' in St Petersburg."

"I don't know," said Grace, "But I get the impression that he'd love it. I'll ask him next time we meet."

"Which should be this afternoon, if not sooner." said Sonia, "Anyway, I think we had better be on our way to the restaurant."

A very similar conversation had taken place in JJ's cabin when he returned, apparently very happy and in an unusually tranquil mood. Edward remarked that he had never seen his son looking so cheerful.

"You're looking really happy." remarked Celia, JJ's mother.

"Yes!" said JJ. "I met this really nice girl on the pool deck. She's seems such a gentle person."

"Who is this girl?" asked Edward, "What's she like? She's obviously affected you really deeply."

"She has." said JJ, "Without doing anything, she seems to create this atmosphere around her, which generates total serenity. I don't know what happened, but I was feeling really agitated and I was trying to relax when she approached me. When she looked at me and smiled, I felt a tranquility I've never experienced before."

"Have you any idea who she is?" asked Celia.

"Her name is Grace Blood." said JJ, "She's the daughter of the ex-director of Roundview College."

"Does she know about your condition?" asked Edward.

"Surprisingly, yes." said JJ, "I was about to advise her about it, but she seemed to know who I was. It didn't seem to worry her. I know I'm usually very awkward talking to people, especially girls, but with her, it seems so easy and natural."

"Are you hoping to see her again?" asked Celia.

"I'd really love to." said JJ, "It's so calming being with her. I'm hoping to meet her at the Romanov talk this afternoon, that is, if her dad will let me."

"What makes you think he won't?" asked Celia.

"He might think I'm not right in the head," said JJ, "which I'm not, so he wouldn't want his daughter to have anything to do with me, but that might just be my natural pessimism."

"Changing the subject," said Edward, "It's time for lunch. We'd better be moving if we're going to make the 12:30 sitting."

With this, Edward, Celia and JJ left their cabin to go to the restaurant, only to encounter David, Sonia and Grace in the corridor.

"Oh! Hello Grace." said JJ, smiling, "It's nice to see you so soon. Our cabins seem to be quite close together."

"It is." said Grace, "I guess you're headed the same way as us."

"Would you three like to sit down to lunch with us?" asked Sonia, "Since our children have met, we should all get to know each other."

"That's such a good idea." said Celia.

By this time, the group had reached the restaurant. Since tables for lunch were not pre-allocated, David asked for a table for six. A vacant six seat table was found and the two small families settled down for the first lunch of the cruise. Following a round of introductions, everyone settled for lunch and started to inspect the menus. After the starters were delivered, David broached the subject of that morning's meeting between JJ and his daughter.

"JJ," said David "You appear to have had a marked effect on my Grace. She looked happier than I've seen her since the accident. What did you do with her?"

"Nothing." Said JJ, "I just talked with her all morning while wandering round the deck. Because of my Asperger's, I don't usually find it easy to talk with anyone, but your Grace was different. It seemed so natural and normal talking with her. I felt so completely relaxed."

"How did you two meet up?" asked Sonia.

"I was sitting on one of the seats on the pool deck," said JJ, "Just watching the ship's wake and listening to the diesel engines chugging away, when she sat next to me and remarked that I seemed to be the only other young person on the ship, other than the entertainers. We got talking and spent the rest of the morning together. The time just flew past. Grace makes me feel comfortable and relaxed in my own skin. I can't ever remember having such a pleasant morning."

"Where did you go?" asked David.

"We went to an open deck area just ahead of the bridge and spent quite a lot of time there." said JJ. "Then we went slowly back to the pool deck and had a drink. After that, we realised that lunch was imminent, so we returned to the cabins."

Celia and Edward Jones listened to this conversation with considerable interest. They were astonished at their son's confident and honest answers to David and Sonia's series of questions.

"Well done, Jeremiah." commented Celia, "You didn't seem flustered at all. Shipboard life must be good for you."

"I think a lot must be down to Grace." said JJ, "I feel confident and relaxed when she's with me."

"JJ seems very different from the anxious, panicky boy I knew at Roundview." said David, addressing JJ's parents, "Has anything changed?"

"We changed his doctor after he left Roundview." said Celia, "The new one has drastically reduced his medication and referred him to a psychiatric counsellor. We have noticed an improvement, but what has happened this morning is quite dramatic. Grace seems to have made more difference than any doctor. Let's hope it continues."

"When I was talking with Grace in the cabin before lunch," said David, "I did express the opinion that JJ and my Grace might be good for each other."

The starters were cleared away and the group got down to the serious business of tackling the main dishes. Coincidentally and without any prompting from each other, both Grace and JJ had chosen the lamb shank. Earlier, they had both chosen the same starter; calamari in breadcrumbs with tartare sauce.

"I must say you two do seem to be in tune with each other." remarked Celia, "It's almost as if there's a telepathic connection between you."

"It's odd you should say that." said David, "When she came into the cabin before lunch, she did mention that she was looking forward to the same parts of the cruise as JJ."

"And which were those?" asked Edward.

"The visits to Berlin and St Petersburg." said David, "Grace is really looking forward to St Petersburg, because she's read 'War and Peace' and would love to see some of the Russian palaces there, especially the Hermitage."

"JJ and Grace aren't the only people changed by the cruise." commented Celia, "Edward here seems to have come to life."

"Yes," said Edward, "Apart from the effect on Jeremiah, it's so different from anything we've ever done before."

By this time, the desserts were served. JJ and Grace chose apple pie and ice cream, while both sets of parents chose profiteroles and double cream. After lunch, there was a two hour wait before the lecture. The parents returned to their cabins for an afternoon nap, while Grace and JJ continued their exploration of the ship, having agreed to meet their parents at the Romanov lecture. What had started with a chance encounter between two lonely young people was now developing into something more worthwhile.


	2. Chapter 2: Tentative Steps and Starlight

**Chapter 2: Tentative Steps and Starlight**

As they left the restaurant, JJ and Grace walked together, but did not say anything for a while. When they came out on deck, it was Grace who spoke first.

"Well, that was a pleasant surprise." said Grace, "All our folks seem to be comfortable with our friendship. How are you feeling?"

"Relieved!" said JJ, "I really thought that lunch would have been an embarrassing encounter, instead of which everything came right. I felt anxious when we sat down, but now I feel calm again."

"That's good," said Grace. "Because I feel relaxed as well. Have you thought as far ahead as this evening?"

"No, not really." said JJ, "Which dinner sitting have you been allocated? We're on the early one at 6:30."

"We're on the same one," said Grace, "Although we didn't see you last night."

"That's because we went to Marco's Restaurant just ahead of the Pool Deck for a buffet dinner." said JJ, "My parents weren't sure whether I could sit still long enough for a formal meal."

"You were okay at lunch just now." said Grace.

"That could be because you were with me." Said JJ, "Anyway, you were asking me about this evening."

"Yes." said Grace, "After the show, I think tonight's will be a tribute to Broadway Musicals, if our folks allow us, you could take me to that deck in front of the bridge and tell me why you love the stars."

"My thoughts exactly." remarked JJ, "It's almost as if you can read my mind."

"On another subject," began Grace, "When I returned to our cabin before lunch and told my parents about you, mummy asked me what kind of music you were in to."

"I love most music." said JJ, "What my favourite genre is at any time depends on my mood, but I suppose what I like most consistently is prog rock and 'classical' music including orchestral film scores."

"What do you mean by 'prog rock'?" asked Grace.

"Groups such as Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd." replied JJ, "It's mostly music from the '70s, '80s and '90s."

"I've heard of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin," said Grace, "But I'm not familiar with the others. When I first met him, the boy I was with at Roundview only appreciated heavy metal."

"Heavy metal has its place," said JJ, "But I have to be in the right mood to really enjoy it. Having said that, one of my favourite CDs is 'The Number of the Beast' by Iron Maiden."

"That's certainly heavy metal." remarked Grace.

"I've brought my I-Pod on the cruise," said JJ, "It's got most of my music collection on it. I've got two pairs of proper headphones and a splitter. We can listen to Yes and Genesis and see if you like them."

"I'll certainly take you up on that offer." said Grace, "I expect there will be some wet days when coming out here won't be so pleasant. Also, we leave Rotterdam mid-afternoon tomorrow, so we'll have at least a couple of hours before dinner when nothing much is happening."

"That sounds like a good idea." said JJ, "We can use one of the quieter bars."

"You said earlier that you loved 'classical' music." said Grace, "Does that include ballet?"

"Of course." said JJ, "Why do you ask?"

"When we reach St Petersburg," said Grace, "One of the shore excursions is a visit to the Mariinsky Theatre to see a production of 'Swan Lake', the Tchaikovsky ballet. Would you like to join us?"

"Wow!" exclaimed JJ, smiling broadly, his eyes shining, "Are you serious? I'd love to."

"That was some reaction!" said Grace, "I must be doing you some good for you to be that expressive."

By this time, their stroll had reached the pool deck and Grace pointed out the bronze statue of Rudolf Nureyev and mentioned that, after his defection to the West, he was the Royal Ballet's principal male dancer, opposite Margot Fonteyn at Covent Garden.

"This is a Russian ship." commented JJ, "She used to be called the Alexander Pushkin. She was one of five 'Poet' class passenger ships. However, I don't think that statue could have been there when she was commissioned."

"Why do you say that?" queried Grace.

"Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West at Le Bourget Airport in 1961, when the Leningrad Kirov Ballet was visiting Paris." said JJ "I don't think the Soviets would have commissioned a statue of him in 1965. I believe it was put there in 1991 when the ship became the Marco Polo and had a major refit. That's when the pool was added."

"You seem to know a lot about this ship." commented Grace, "Where did you learn all this?"

"In the weeks before we sailed," said JJ, "I tried to find out as much as possible about the ship. I found an article on the internet by Reuben Goosens about the 'Poet' class ships very enlightening."

"You've been working hard." commented Grace, "I thought the idea of a cruise was to relax."

"Relaxation was something I found impossible before I met you." said JJ, "Anyway, do you fancy a drink before we go into the lounge for the talk, or should we have one when we go in there?"

"I think we should wait." said Grace, "That way, we can go back to the bow."

"Okay!" said JJ.

With this, the pair departed for the deck area ahead of the bridge, they arrived there just as the vessel was overtaking an enormous container ship. They watched it for some minutes.

"I sometimes wonder how those things stay upright in rough seas." remarked JJ, "They seem so top heavy. The view from the bridge can't be all that good either, looking over the top of all those containers."

"They don't always." said Grace, "In 1992, a container was dropped in the Pacific Ocean. It contained about twenty-nine thousand plastic ducks, which escaped. They've been turning up all over the world since then. Some have even been washed up on British shores."

"Oh yes," said JJ, "I had, for the moment, forgotten about that one. Although they could be regarded as plastic pollution, they did provide a lot of information about the world's ocean currents."

As they drew ahead of the container ship, a ferry crossed their path about a mile ahead.

"Something to be remembered," said JJ, "Is that the English Channel is the busiest shipping lane in the world. What makes it more complicated is that several ferry routes cross the main shipping lanes." he paused, briefly, "I've just realised, you've just reminded me about something I really should have remembered and I didn't even feel flustered. You are affecting me. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for just being me, JJ." said Grace, smiling sweetly, "I'm just an ordinary girl, just being herself. The nice thing is that I don't even have to put on an act when I'm with you."

"You're a lot more than ordinary." commented JJ, "You seem to have an almost magical effect on my mood."

"I think that's because I met you at the right moment." said Grace.

JJ idly looked at his watch.

"I suppose if we're going to the lecture," observed JJ, without any particular urgency, "We should think about making our way to the Marco Polo lounge. It will probably fill up quite early."

The lecture, which was the first of a series of three proved to be very interesting. It covered the history of Russia from the thirteenth century and leading up to the first Romanovs and ended with the accession to power of Peter the Great. Grace and JJ sat together between their respective parents, who they met just outside the lounge where it was given. JJ sat on Grace's left. Since they had all arrived comparatively early, they had found seats with a good view of both the speaker and the screen. It was obvious that JJ was listening with rapt attention and taking in everything the speaker was saying. He almost appeared to be in a trance. When the lecture finished, much to his parents' surprise, he snapped out of it almost immediately, and smiled at Grace. She smiled back.

"Wow, Jeremiah!" said Celia, "I've never known you return to normal that quickly after an interesting talk. You're usually like a zombie for up to an hour afterwards. Anyway, did you like it?"

"Certainly!" said JJ, looking to his right, "I guess the series will end with 1917. I came back to the real world quickly so I could appreciate Grace."

"That's so sweet!" remarked Grace, displaying one of her most radiant smiles.

"I don't think I've ever seen you looking happier, Grace." said Sonia, "You look really beautiful when you smile like that. The whole of you lights up."

"I don't know about you, but I'd like another drink before dinner." said David, "Let's all go to one of the bars."

With this, he got up and led the group back to 'The Captain's Club. It was open and reasonably empty. Much to everyone's surprise, most of all, Sonia's, he offered to buy a round of drinks.

Once these had been obtained, he addressed JJ.

"JJ," said David, "I guess Grace has probably already brought this up, but among your various musical tastes, do you like ballet?"

"Yes!" said JJ "I love it. It's so expressive and without words. Why do you ask?"

"One of the 'excursions' at St Petersburg," said David, "Is a visit to the Mariinsky Theatre to see a performance of 'Swan Lake'. We're going. Would you like to join us."

"Most certainly!" said JJ, looking ecstatic, "Thank you so much. I'll love that."

"I think you can count us out of that one." said Edward, "Ballet isn't really to our taste, although Jeremiah loves it. We're thinking of going to the folklore show on that evening."

"That's okay dad." said JJ, "You'll enjoy that more than 'Swan Lake'."

"That's settled then." said David, "I assume you're going to Berlin."

"Yes, we are." said Edward, "We've booked the excursion with the river cruise."

"So have we." said David. "We'll be able to see the city from another angle. I expect the Cold War will be mentioned as there are still bits of the wall on display."

This conversation continued for some time, with discussions about the various excursions on the cruise. Until this afternoon, JJ and Grace had been somewhat apprehensive about the shore trips. Now that they had discussed the excursion plans with their parents, they were both a lot happier in the knowledge that they were going to spend a lot of excursion time together, a substantial portion of it by themselves. The two families spent the next hour or so before dinner at the excursion desk, booking most of their shore trips. They were only just in time booking the ballet evening at St Petersburg, as they required four seats together.

Dinner was uneventful. Once again Grace and JJ selected the same starters and main courses independently of each other. After realising this, they selected different desserts. Grace chose apple pie, while JJ had chocolate sponge, both with ice cream.

"As I said earlier," said David, "There does appear to be a connection between the two of you. I know you've only just met each other, but I sense that you have both found something you need in each other."

"Well," said JJ, "I don't know what I do for her, but she does make me feel really calm. It's a lovely feeling."

JJ found the comment from David Blood somewhat surprising and reassuring, as he had expected him to be somewhat overprotective of his daughter.

JJ enjoyed the evening's show a lot more than he'd anticipated, but he put this down to being with Grace. He particularly enjoyed the selection form 'West Side Story'. There was nothing from "Mamma Mia" as there was to be an ABBA evening later on in the cruise.

As they left the lounge where the show was being held, Grace asked David if she could go out on deck with JJ to see the night sky. He gave his permission as long as he was back before midnight.

The pair made their way up to the unlit area of deck ahead of the bridge. Fortunately the sky was still clear, so all the stars would be visible. As JJ had mentioned earlier, provided they stayed close to the bridge superstructure, there were no shipboard lights to disturb them and even the faintest stars could be seen. JJ commented that it would take a while for their eyes to get used to the dark. In fact, the only lights visible were the red and green navigation lights of other shipping in the Channel and the rotating beams from the occasional distant lighthouse.

"What a lovely night." commented Grace, when her eyes had begun to adjust. "There are so many stars. I see what you mean by this deck being dark. The background is so black. You can't see this many from the middle of Bristol."

"Since we're now heading East," said JJ, "The sky isn't as impressive as it was for me last night. In fact what you can see from here is the least impressive part of the night sky. Unfortunately, there aren't any bright planets in this part of the sky at the moment."

"Why is that?" queried Grace.

"Last night the ship was sailing South West along the North Cornwall coast." said JJ, " But since then, we've turned around, so the brightest Summer stars are behind us. However, there are still one or two things worth looking at. Anyway, do you see that big square of stars?"

"Yes." said Grace, pointing high in the sky, "you mean that one."

"That's the great square of Pegasus." said JJ, "It's the most conspicuous feature in this part of the sky. Let's give you an eye test. Look above the top left corner of the square and a bit to the left. What do you see?"

"A very faint smudge of light." said Grace, "What is it?"

"It's called the 'Great Andromeda Nebula'." said JJ, "It's actually a galaxy, a collection of billions of stars, just like the 'Milky Way', our galaxy."

"You mean we're living in a galaxy of stars?" commented Grace.

"Yes," said JJ, "Ours is about a hundred thousand light years across. So is that one. A light year is the distance light travels in a year. That 'smudge' as you describe it is two million light years away."

Grace thought about the distances and the size of the two galaxies for a moment before speaking.

"Shouldn't it look bigger?" asked Grace.

"Yes, it should." said JJ, "What you can see is only the centre. The outer parts are so faint that you can't see them without a powerful telescope."

"Can we see our own galaxy?" asked Grace.

"You can, if the sky is really dark, as it is tonight." said JJ, "Look almost overhead. Can you see five stars forming a letter 'W'?"

"Yes." Said Grace, "That part of the sky doesn't seem quite so black. Wait, there's a sort of faint cloud behind it going right down to the horizon."

"That's our own galaxy, the 'Milky Way'." said JJ, "It's so faint that it can only be seen where there is no light pollution. People were so lucky when there were no street lights. Thy could see all the stars at night. What you're seeing is the light from millions of distant stars within our galaxy."

"Can we see the centre of the 'Milky Way'?" asked Grace.

"Not from this far North." said JJ, "It is visible from the Southern Hemisphere. It doesn't look spectacularly bright because there's so much galactic dust and other debris in the galactic plane that its full brilliance is hidden from us."

"Have you seen the Southern stars?" asked Grace.

"Yes." said JJ, "Mum and dad took me to Australia just before I came to Roundview. We went to something called the 'Sounds of Silence Dinner'."

"What was that?" asked Grace.

"It took place right out in the desert between two rocky outcrops in the middle of Australia called Uluru and Kata Tjuta." said JJ, "We sat down to an Australian dinner. Then all the lights were turned off. Once our eyes had adjusted to the total darkness, an astronomer explained what we could see above us, which included the very bright Sagittarius section of the Milky Way. It was wonderful to see the stars with no interference from artificial light."

"A little way to the left of where the Milky Way meets the horizon, there's quite a bright, reddish star." said Grace, "What is it?"

"Oh! That's Aldebaran, The eye of the bull." Said JJ, "It's the first of the Winter stars to appear. Mention of Taurus, the bull reminds me, I've got another eye test for you, now that our eyes are dark adapted."

"Go ahead." said Grace, "I think my eyesight is okay."

"Some way above, and a little to the right of Aldebaran," said JJ, "can you see a little group of faint, hazy looking stars?"

"Yes, I see them." said Grace, after a pause, "What are they?"

"It's a star cluster called the Pleiades." said JJ, "How many stars can you see in the cluster?"

Grace looked intently at the Pleiades for a while before answering.

"I may be wrong, but I think there are seven." said Grace.

"Well done, Gracie." said JJ, his smile evident in his voice, "Your eyes are sharp as well as being beautiful. I hope you didn't mind me calling you 'Gracie'."

"Not in the least." said Grace, "It means you're regarding me with a little more than affection. I like that. It also means that you're feeling relaxed and comfortable in my company."

"Before we go back inside," said JJ, "Look straight out to the right of the ship. Do you see that bright star very low down?"

"Yes." said Grace.

"That's Fomalhaut." said JJ, "It's the southernmost first magnitude star visible from Britain. It's in the constellation of Piscis Australis, the Southern Fish."

"Where did you learn all this?" asked Grace, "I'm beginning to understand why you love starlight.

"I used to bury myself in astronomy books when I was little." said JJ, "I've never lost interest in the subject. I also watched 'The Sky at Night' on television."

"Will we be coming up here again?" asked Grace.

"Weather permitting, we can come here when the ship is going in a different direction." Said JJ, "That way we'll see another part of the sky. We might come up here sooner for some real peace and quiet."

"I like the idea of that," said Grace.

With this, JJ and Grace left the outside deck and returned to the 'Captain's Club' bar where their parents were waiting. During their journey, Grace held JJ's hand. He was surprised by this gesture, but inwardly pleased. It confirmed to JJ that their developing feelings for each other were mutual.

"Did you enjoy your look at the sky, Grace?" asked David.

"Yes." said Grace, "It was wonderful. JJ seems to know so much about the stars."

"That's not surprising." said Celia, "When he was smaller, his head was always buried in a non-fiction book of some kind."

"Did he 'get up to anything'? asked David.

"Of course not!" said Grace, "He's too much of a gentleman for that, but he did feel confident enough to call me 'Gracie', so I held his hand on the way down here."

"That was so sweet." said Sonia, "He must be developing quite deep feelings for you."

JJ blushed.

"Sorry to have to ask that," said David, "But you two do appear to be developing a strong relationship. I think that's good. I get the impression that there is already more than friendship between you."

"I think you're right." said Grace, "JJ is very different from Rich, but he's gentle and considerate. I like him a lot."

"Jeremiah," said David, "How do you actually feel about my Grace?"

It was several seconds before JJ found the words to answer David's question as he didn't want to say anything that might hinder their friendship.

"I really like her." said JJ, "She seems to be able to put me into an utterly calm state of mind, just by looking at me and using that smile. My mind is usually a continuous maelstrom of galloping random thoughts, but your Grace seems to have calmed them down. I don't think anyone could feel agitated in her presence."

"Thank you." said David, "I am beginning to think that you two need each other. Your parents tell me that you've calmed down a lot today, and Grace seems happier than I've ever seen her." he paused, "I expect I worried you when I started this line of questioning. You probably thought I was looking for reasons to stop you seeing Grace."

"That thought had occurred to me." Said JJ, looking worried.

"You needn't fret." said David, "It's patently clear that you two have found something you need in each other. You can carry on seeing each other. You're as good for Grace as she is for you."

"Thank you so much, Mr Blood." said JJ, "I'm now looking forward to the rest of the cruise."

"Anyway," said Celia, "It's time we went back to our cabins and found some sleep. We've got an interesting day tomorrow. Shall we meet for breakfast? If so, when?"

"That's a good idea." said David, "Shall we go to Marco's. I think it's less formal and it's nearer. We'll expect a knock on our cabin door at about eight o'clock."

"Okay," said Edward, "We'll be ready. See you tomorrow morning."

With this, the group finished their drinks and returned to their cabins. Grace and JJ said their farewells with a "Goodnight, see you tomorrow.".

When JJ and his parents returned to their cabin, Celia congratulated JJ on the way he had handled David Blood's questions.

"You were good back there." said Celia, "You answered David's questions honestly without getting flustered. Well done!"

Unusually for him, JJ felt really tranquil when he went to bed, He enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep, as his mind was, for a change, at rest. He dreamed about Grace. She had obviously penetrated his subconscious mind and calmed his innermost thoughts. He now looked forward to the rest of the cruise with pleasurable anticipation.


	3. Chapter 3: The Dawn of Love

Chapter **3: The Dawn of Love**

"What time is it?" asked JJ, sleepily, as he stirred into wakefulness after, unusually for him, a deep and satisfying sleep.

After returning from the bar the previous evening, once he had changed, he had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. This was rare for him as he, more often than not, spent the first hour of the night tossing and turning while trying to quieten his mind, so that he could sleep.

"About seven o'clock." said Edward, his father, "I suppose we'd better be getting up if we're having breakfast with the other three."

"You slept very peacefully." commented Celia, "I didn't hear any sounds from you all night."

"The only thing I remember is Grace telling me to wake up." said JJ, "I opened my eyes and realised it had only been a dream."

"Anyway, how are you feeling this morning?" asked Celia.

"Awake and ready for a new day." said JJ, "May I use the bathroom first?"

"Of course!" said Celia, surprised, "Go ahead."

At eight o'clock, having got ready, JJ, Celia and Edward emerged from their cabin and joined Grace, Sonia and David for a buffet breakfast in Marco's Restaurant near the pool deck.

As the group sat down to breakfast, it was clear that both JJ and Grace were changed people. JJ was relaxed and cheerful, both smiling frequently and obviously relaxed. Grace had apparently overcome her depression and wore a continuous radiant smile.

Overnight, the weather had changed. Gone were the cloudless skies of the previous two days. The forecast indicated that it was going to stay dry until mid to late afternoon, so the excursion to The Hague and Delft should be free of rain. This went without incident. JJ, as usual was taking in everything being said by the guides but was not so deep into his concentration that he ignored Grace. While the pair were together, they held hands frequently. As they returned to the ship after the shore trip, as forecast, the rain started falling.

"I hope this clears before we reach Copenhagen." commented David, "That place, well, any place looks better when the sun is shining."

"It should do." said Edward, "Copenhagen is two days away. We've got another day at sea before that."

"Yesterday," said Grace, "You said you would let me hear some of your music if the weather turned."

"Yes, I remember that." said JJ, "I'll get my I-Pod and the headphones when we get back to the ship."

"What will you start with?" asked Grace.

"Probably something quite gentle." said JJ, "Although there's one track by Genesis that I hesitate to play in case you take it the wrong way."

"Now I'm intrigued." said Grace, "I'm wondering what the track might be."

"Oh, I'ts only something gentle and beautiful," said JJ, "But you might read too much into the lyrics."

"I'm even more fascinated now." said Grace, smiling, "You're going to have to play it."

"Okay!" said JJ, "But don't take the lyrics too literally - yet."

By this time, the coach had returned to the dockside and its passengers rapidly left it and hurried up the gangplank as the rain was by now quite heavy. JJ returned to his cabin and located his I-Pod and the two pairs of headphones. He rejoined Grace and the pair made their way to a quiet corner of the 'Captain's Club' bar. They had arranged to meet their parents back in the cabins half an hour before dinner.

"Do you fancy a drink before we start?" asked JJ, looking at his watch, "We'll probably have a couple before we go back down."

"Thank you." said Grace, "I'll have a sweet sherry."

A waiter approached them and JJ ordered the sherry and a Laphroaig single malt whisky for himself. As these were being prepared, JJ connected the I-Pod and the two sets of headphones. Grace donned one set while JJ selected the track "Wonderous Stories" by Jon Anderson on the I-Pod, put on his own 'phones and started listening. As it finished, he addressed Grace. "What did you think of that?" he asked.

"It was beautiful." said Grace, smiling, "If that's 'prog rock', I've been missing out on some lovely music."

"You have, but it's not all as sweet as that." said JJ, "Here's something a bit more, shall we say, challenging."

JJ touched a few icons on his I-Pod screen and selected the last twenty minute part of 'Tales from Topographic Oceans', "Nous Sommes du Soleil" also by Yes. The pair sat back and enjoyed their drinks while this was playing. It was clear that Grace was listening to this quite complex music with rapt attention. During the later stages, she displayed a deeply ecstatic smile. JJ followed this with some shorter tracks by Genesis, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake Palmer, including ELP's rendition of 'America' from West Side Story.

"This music is amazing." said Grace, "In its way it's as serious as any 'classical' music. I loved it."

"That's good." Said JJ, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now for something completely different."

JJ selected a couple of tracks by Europe: 'Superstition' and 'Carrie', which Grace also appreciated.

"You were hesitating about playing me a Genesis track." said Grace, "Are you going to play it?"

"Okay," said JJ, "But as I've already said, don't take the lyrics too literally – yet."

JJ selected 'Follow You, Follow Me' and let Grace listen to it. As she listened, her expression was one of sheer bliss. JJ found it puzzling that, although she was smiling, she was shedding the occasional tear, which she wiped away with a tissue.

"Well?" said JJ, with a question in his voice.

It took Grace several seconds to regain her composure before she answered.

"The sentiments expressed were so totally sweet." said Grace, her voice a bit tremulous, "I do see what you mean about the lyrics, but how's this?"

She leant across, embraced JJ and kissed him firmly on the cheek. To say that JJ was surprised would be a major understatement. He blushed scarlet.

"Wh – what was that for?" asked JJ, still somewhat discombobulated.

"For you being you." said Grace, smiling, "I know we only met yesterday, but it's obvious that I've had a major effect on your state of mind. Also, you've affected me in unexpected ways."

"How?" said JJ.

"When I embarked on this cruise," said Grace, "I was really depressed. As I've already mentioned, I'd been in a car crash in Morocco. I was in a coma for four weeks. I had suffered a subdural haemorrhage. It was many months before my faculties returned to normal. By this time, I'd lost my boyfriend. He wasn't prepared to wait for me to recover fully and went to Cambridge University. I felt that everything that made life worth living was drifting away. Spending my delayed A2 year at Mayberry's didn't help. I felt trapped. At the start of the cruise, I was moping about in the cabin, so mummy and daddy suggested I take a stroll on deck while they went to hear the talk on the Rotterdam shore excursions. I'd just come away from looking over the stern of the ship when I noticed you looking thoughtful. I don't know what it was, but there was something about you which suggested that you might be someone worth getting to know, so I introduced myself. The rest, as you might say, is history. I'm feeling happy and contented again, all because of you."

"I didn't realise I could do that for anybody, just by being me." said JJ, "Anyway, am I worth getting to know?"

"Yes, you are." said Grace, "You're quiet, gentle and friendly. Your range of musical tastes is amazing. You seem to know a lot about many subjects and, best of all, you're easy to talk with. I like it that you weren't too worried when you found out who I was. Anyway, about the Genesis track. Yes, I appreciate the lyrics and feel deep down that they do express how we would both like to feel about each other. Do you agree?"

"I have to admit that I would like to feel that way about you." said JJ, "You've had such a profound effect on my state of mind that spending time alone with you is such a wonderful thought. It's happened so quickly. I just hope it lasts."

"I think it will." said Grace, gently, "Anyway, we've still got over an hour, so would you like to play me some more music?"

At this point, a waiter passed their table and their drinks were replenished.

"Have you ever seen the film 'Gladiator'?" asked JJ.

"No, I don't think I have." said Grace.

"Try this." said JJ, "It's the last part of the soundtrack album."

He played the last part of the 'Gladiator' soundtrack from 'the power of Rome' to the end. Grace listened attentively. Her expression told JJ that she was enjoying what she was hearing.

"That sounded like an emotionally satisfying end to something epic." said Grace, once the 'Gladiator music had finished, "The final section was so consoling after all the drama earlier. Is the whole CD that good?"

"It is." said JJ, "Although it's only a selection of bits of music from the film, the CD is like a sixty-three minute symphonic poem. Each section leads seamlessly into the next. I've seen a talk by Hans Zimmer about this music. He does say that he went into 'Wagner mode' in a couple of places. You can almost imagine the Rhine flowing through the eternal city rather than the Tiber. You'll be surprised to know that the music didn't win the Oscar for the best original score in 2000."

"What did?" asked Grace.

"'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'." said JJ, "That score has sunk without trace, while 'Gladiator' has been in the Classic FM charts every week since it was released, more than a decade ago. Anyway, it's getting towards time to go down. I'll play some more conventional rock music which you may not have heard before."

JJ keyed in a short list of tracks by Fleetwood Mac, New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Eagles he also played 'I Will Always Love You' by Linda Ronstadt. Grace was fascinated by the sound of the pedal steel guitar.

"I had no idea popular music was so wide ranging." said Grace, "That version of 'I Will Always Love You' was so much better than Whitney's."

"Or Dolly's?" queried JJ.

"Who was Dolly?" asked Grace.

"Dolly Parton." said JJ, "She wrote the song."

"You seem to know a lot about music." said Grace "Where did you learn all this?"

"Listening to radio, reading CD covers and generally listening." said JJ, "Shall we go to the cabins?"

"I suppose so." said Grace, "Nice as it is up here listening to music."

JJ disconnected the headphones and the I-Pod and got up. Grace joined him and the pair started to return to their cabins.

"I've just realised something." said JJ.

"What's that?" asked Grace.

"While you were listening to the music," said JJ, "I could sense what you were feeling from your expression. I haven't been able to do that in the past."

"I must have a very expressive face." said Grace. "Also I seem to have had more of an effect on you than I've realised."

"You have." said JJ as he reached his cabin and opened the door, "See you at dinner."

"See you at dinner." said Grace.

JJ located the charger and put his I-Pod on charge as the battery was almost exhausted.

"Did Grace like your kind of music?" asked Edward, "I gather from her father that she's into 'classical' music and ballet."

"She loved it!" said JJ, "Especially the more complex pieces. She did tell me that her previous boyfriend liked heavy metal, but she introduced him to her kind of music. I suppose I'm working the other way round. I'm introducing her to genres she's never heard."

"What did you play?" asked Celia.

"Genesis, King Crimson and a long track from Yes." said JJ, "We also listened to the 'Gladiator' film score and some country rock. She was really fascinated by the sound of the pedal steel guitar."

"How do you know she enjoyed it?" asked Edward.

"Not only did she tell me," said JJ, "But her facial expressions when she was listening told me she was loving it."

"That's a first." said Celia, "You don't usually notice things like that."

"Grace isn't like other people." said JJ, "She's different. She's changed my whole attitude to everything. She's such a totally lovely person."

"You're certainly a lot more cheerful since you met her." said Celia, "She must be doing something for you. Anyway, it's nearly dinnertime, so we'd better be under way if we're joining the others."

There came a knock on the cabin door. Celia opened it. Grace had come to remind them that it was nearly dinnertime. She also came with the reminder that the dress code for the following night's dinner after the day 'at sea' would be 'formal'.

"You'd better hang your tuxedo in the wardrobe tonight, Jeremiah." said Celia, "And Then it will be ready to wear this time tomorrow evening."

"I'll do it straight away." said JJ.

JJ located a suit hanger, unpacked his dress suit from his suitcase and hung it on the hanger, which he put on the rail in the cabin wardrobe.

"You'll look so smart in that, JJ." remarked Grace, smiling, as she observed JJ hanging the suit, "I'll have to think what to wear, my dark blue cocktail dress, I think."

"From what Jeremiah's been telling me," said Edward, "You two have had quite a fascinating musical afternoon,once we got back from Delft."

"Yes, we have." said Grace, "I never realised rock music could be so interesting. Some of it is as complex as the classics I normally listen to. There's a lot more to it than three minute singles. Out of interest, how long did you say the whole of 'Tales from Topographic Oceans' was?"

"About eighty minutes." said JJ, "That's as long as a Mahler symphony."

Since the visit to Delft and the Hague had involved quite a light lunch, all six passengers were beginning to feel hungry. They didn't lose any more time before they made their way to the restaurant. They had to make use of the handrails as the ship was moving about a bit more than it had been the previous evening. The rain had been accompanied by a strong wind.

This evening, JJ and Grace sat next to each other. The previous evening they had sat opposite. The menus arrived. This time, the two young people consulted each other before ordering, but neither could resist the French onion soup. Grace ordered a rump steak, while JJ had gammon and pineapple, both with chips.

"You two are having different dishes this evening." remarked David.

"Yes," said JJ, "We made sure of that, although we are having the same starter and dessert. I love chocolate and so does Grace. I thought it might seem a bit odd if both of us kept on ordering the same food."

All through the dinner, JJ and Grace were chatting between mouthfuls, looking into each other's eyes and exchanging frequent glances and smiles. This did not go unnoticed by the parents, particularly Edward and Celia. As they were waiting for the desserts, Celia could not resist making a comment.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so comfortable in a conversation with anyone." she said, "You're usually so tongue tied."

"As I said before," said JJ, "Grace is different. She makes me feel relaxed and comfortable in my own skin. I don't feel nervous talking to her."

Grace smiled. She was pleased that JJ's parents had seen the change in his demeanour. Despite their earlier misgivings, David and Sonia were also happy with the obvious improvement in their daughter's attitude. After dinner, the evening show was a dance show, which Grace particularly enjoyed. It was quite challenging for the entertainers as the ship was still coping with quite a rough sea. This meant that when a dancer performed a leap, the stage would not quite be in the same place when he or she landed. Since the sky was still overcast, all six passengers adjourned to the 'Captain's Club' bar and spent the rest of the evening drinking, chatting and getting to know each other.

At about midnight, all returned to their cabins. It had not gone unnoticed that JJ and Grace had been holding hands for much of the time.

"I'm really beginning to believe that you've acquired a new girlfriend." said Celia, "You certainly seem to be getting on quite well with Grace."

"Yes!" said JJ, "She's overcome all my inhibitions about talking to girls, or at least this particular girl. I feel so relaxed when she's around me. I didn't want to admit it so soon, but I think I'm just beginning to feel real love. I just hope she feels the same way about me."

"How does this compare to Lara?" asked Celia.

"Totally different!" said JJ, "Lara was nice, but she didn't have the calming effect on my galloping mind that Grace has. I hope this is the real thing."

Similar thoughts had occurred to Grace's parents. As she was preparing for the night, her father mentioned the apparent closeness of the burgeoning relationship between Grace and JJ.

"You seem to be getting on very well with JJ." said David, "I did notice that you were holding his hand in the bar just now. How do you actually feel about him?"

"I didn't want to admit it so soon," said Grace, "But I've never felt this way about anyone before, not even Rich. When JJ's around me, I feel so happy and contented. It's a lovely feeling. There's a warmth and gentleness about him which has affected me really deeply. I know it's a bit early to say this, but I think this might, just might, be love."

"I must admit that you two do seem very comfortable with each other." said Sonia, "I've rarely seen you looking so happy."

"I hope you'll forgive me for asking this," commenced David, "But has he 'tried anything on' with you?"

"No! Of course not!" protested Grace, "He's far too much of a gentleman for that. We're both taking things very gradually, although I must admit that I kissed his cheek after he played me a particularly sweet Genesis song and told me not to take the lyrics too literally."

"How did he react?" asked David.

"He blushed scarlet and asked me what it was for." said Grace, "I said it was for him being him - and smiled."

"He's obviously made a deep impression on you." said Sonia, "I hope this continues as well as it's started."

Grace was relieved when this line of questioning was over. She was also relieved that her parents appeared to approve of her new-found friendship with JJ. What had started with a casual meeting between two young adults was developing into a real relationship between them, which now had the approval of both sets of parents. After this long and interesting day, both JJ and Grace fell into a deep and satisfying sleep helped by the gentle rocking of the ship on the still somewhat rough sea. They were looking forward to a day that they would spend together, getting used to the idea of being a couple.


	4. Chapter 4: Formality and a Mermaid

**Chapter 4: Formality and a Mermaid**

The next morning dawned bright and clear and JJ had arranged to meet Grace over an hour before breakfast. The rain had cleared up overnight but it was still quite breezy. Grace called for JJ at half past six. He was ready for her of course, and he let his parents know that he would be back just before eight o'clock. The couple made their way to the open deck ahead of the bridge and spent some time looking at the sea while holding hands. Neither of them spoke for a while. They were just happy to be in each other's presence. Grace ended the silence first.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm daydreaming, actually." said JJ, "About us, and how things seem to be going right for a change."

"That's a coincidence." said Grace, "I was thinking exactly the same thing. If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up."

"It isn't a dream, I assure you." said JJ, "It's actually happening - I think."

"Do you believe in fate?" asked Grace.

"I'm beginning to." said JJ, "Meeting you was certainly fateful - in a good way."

"I believe it was fate that caused both our families to be on the same cruise." said Grace, "And it was certainly fate that sent me out on deck the day before yesterday, when I found you sitting there looking worried and thoughtful."

"And thanks to you, I'm no longer worried." said JJ, smiling, "I don't think that I could have been found by a more wonderful person."

"That was such a lovely thing to say about me." said Grace, blushing, "Anyway, how do you think today is going to pan out? We've got the drugs talk this morning, the Romanovs this afternoon and then we'll hear all about Copenhagen."

"From what I hear, the drugs talk should be fascinating." said JJ, "Without the use of what we now regard as illegal drugs, a lot of literature and music would not have been created."

The couple spent a few more minutes in silence, holding hands, and watching a passing oil rig being towed in the opposite direction. JJ felt that Grace looked particularly lovely in the morning sunlight with her hair blowing in the wind. He could no longer resist the urge to cuddle her and give her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"That was unexpected. It was very sweet of you, but what was it for?" asked Grace.

"It was for you being the very first person to try to understand me." said JJ, "Usually, I've felt so tense and worried about everything, that I haven't been able to function properly. Suddenly, all that has changed. I feel totally at ease with myself and that life is actually worth living. I feel I'm the 'me' I always should have been. I hope that you don't think I'm being a bit impertinent asking this, but do you think I've had any effect on you?"

"You certainly have!" said Grace, "Mummy brought me up on a diet of fairy tales, most of them with a happy ending. With my parents' objections to Rich and then the car crash, I was becoming disillusioned with life. Things seemed to be going really bad. When I started this cruise, I was feeling so down. The thought of throwing myself overboard was beginning to occur to me. I was actually thinking of how I might do it when I met you."

"That would have been so tragic." said JJ, looking sad, "You're far too lovely a person to die. I'm so relieved that you didn't go through with it."

"Because I met someone who I might find interesting." said Grace.

"So, instead of your prince riding in on a white stallion," said JJ, "You found him sitting on a deckchair looking pensive."

"Something like that," said Grace, "In a way, you've saved my life. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough."

"You don't have to thank me just for being me." said JJ, "I'm so pleased to have saved you. I don't think you would have told many people what you've just told me. What inspired you to confess that to me?"

"I just have this feeling deep down that I can trust you with my darkest thoughts." said Grace, "I'm sure I can trust you not to tell mummy or daddy about what I've just admitted to you."

"Of course!" said JJ, "It'll remain our secret. Your folks are worried enough about you without adding anything like that."

"Thank you for that." said Grace, "You're so considerate."

"I know that a trouble shared is a trouble halved." said JJ, "Do you feel better, now that you've admitted your dark thoughts to me."

"Yes, I do." said Grace, "I feel a sense of calm relief, partly because you accepted it without being shocked. I think you now realise what an effect you've had on me. Life suddenly seems worthwhile and something to look forward to."

"I don't know what to say!" said JJ.

"Don't say anything." said Grace, "Just accept that I'm coming to regard you as a real friend. Let's enjoy each other's presence for a while."

With this, JJ and Grace stood, facing forward, watching the sea and the clouds, their arms round each other's waists. After about ten minutes, JJ looked at his watch and realised that their time alone together was coming to an end.

"Lovely as it is being up here with you," said JJ, "I suppose we had better go down if we want some breakfast. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"So am I." said Grace, "Let's go down."

The couple returned to their cabins, getting there just before eight o'clock. David and Sonia sensed that Grace was not only very happy, but had a serene demeanour about her.

"Are you okay?" asked Sonia.

"I couldn't be more okay if I tried." said Grace, "I've just spent over an hour enjoying the fresh air with someone I now regard as a real friend. JJ is so gentle and considerate and such a good listener. I feel I could tell him all my innermost troubles and he would understand."

"This certainly doesn't sound like the anxious, panicky Jeremiah Jones I knew at Roundview." said David, "You must have really affected him in the most positive way possible. I know you do influence people you come into contact with, but this has been quite dramatic. Your demeanour has changed as well. He seems to make you so serenely happy. I know I've had my misgivings about this association, but I'm now convinced that you're both good for each other."

"Thank you daddy!" said Grace as she hugged her father and kissed him on both cheeks.

Since they did not have to be ready to board an excursion coach, both families had elected to use the Waldorf Restaurant for breakfast. David commented that the egg chef was more conspicuous and close to the locations of the other components of a full English breakfast. The previous morning it had taken him some time to find where to get his fried eggs and omelettes.

After breakfast, both families took a stroll on deck and Grace showed her parents the deck area in front of the bridge where she had spent a considerable time with JJ. They were lucky in that the ship passed another oil rig being towed in the opposite direction.

"I wonder where that's going?" queried David.

"Possibly to Invergordon in Scotland." remarked JJ.

"What gives you that impression?" asked David.

"When we were looking into which cruise were going to book," said JJ, "We did look at one which went to Rekyavik in Iceland from Tilbury. It's first port of call was Invergordon. Some of the publicity material did mention that North Sea oil rigs were serviced there."

As ten o'clock approached, everyone descended to the Marco Polo lounge. The next hour was spent listening to a fascinating account of the use of what we would now regard as illegal drugs from Ancient Greece onward. Particular mention was made of the use of opiates, particularly laudanum, a mixture of opium and water or wine, by musicians and writers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Writers from the romantic era, such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Percy Bish Shelley were mentioned as recreational users of laudanum. Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique was described as a musical account of a series of dreams under the influence of opium. The speaker concluded by saying that the subsequent talks would cover the effects of various other 'illegal' drugs such as cocaine. The final talk would cover the almost evangelical zeal with the American government fought the war on drugs, particularly cannabis in the early part of the twentieth century. JJ paid very close attention to the talk and remembered the amount of recreational drugs, usually cannabis and ecstasy, taken at Roundview.

"That was amazing." said David, "I didn't realise how widespread drug use was in earlier centuries. It seems to put your lot's activities into perspective."

"Of course, the original use of these drugs was as painkillers." said JJ, "Back then they didn't have things like ibruprophen or paracetamol, although it was common to chew willow bark to fight a headache."

"Of course! It contained salicylic acid." observed David, "That's Aspirin."

"Just so." said JJ.

Since there was just over an hour before lunch, the two families adjourned to the 'Captain's Club' bar for a pre-lunch drink. Discussion ranged far and wide, but was dominated by the lecture they had just attended. JJ commented that little mention was made of cannabis, but then mused that it was probably not grown in England in Victorian times. After a brief discussion, the group decided that, since they had plenty of time, they would use the Waldorf restaurant for their lunch.

Once again, JJ and Grace consulted each other and agreed to have different main courses. However, this time they had different starters. Grace chose a prawn cocktail, while JJ enjoyed mulligatawny soup. Once again, they were chatting, smiling and exchanging bright glances. It was clear to both sets of parents that the depth of feeling between them was intensifying.

As usual, JJ seemed to go into a trance while the talk on the Romanovs was being presented. This second talk mainly concentrated on the reign of Peter the great and the development of the city of St Petersburg from the small fishing port that previously existed there. After the talk, once again JJ snapped out of his reverie almost instantly. He wanted to be conscious of the presence of Grace for a while before the briefing on Copenhagen, which followed almost immediately. This outlined the attractions of the city and the six different shore excursions available. As they left the lounge after the briefing, Sonia reminded Grace that Copenhagen was the city of Hans Christian Andersen, the writer of 'The Little Mermaid' and several other of Grace's favourite tales. Since the dress code for the evening was 'formal', the small group returned to their cabins early to change for dinner. JJ changed into the dress suit and shirt he had hung up the previous day and added a black bow tie.

After some thought, Grace selected the blue strapless cocktail dress she had mentioned earlier. She would wear the evening dress on the second 'formal' evening between Aarhus and Cobh. She had pinned her hair up clear of her shoulders and wore a small tiara. She deliberately chose not to wear anything round her neck.

As JJ's family had taken less time to change than Grace's, they made their way to the 'Captain's Club' bar and waited for the others. After about ten minutes, they were. joined by David, Sonia and Grace. When Grace appeared, JJ's reaction was one of joyous amazement. He looked up. His eyes opened wide. His lower jaw dropped. He gasped, then smiled.

"Oh! Wow!" exclaimed JJ, "Y - you look absolutely beautiful. That's such a lovely dress, and I like that you aren't wearing anything round your pretty neck. There's nothing to detract from those beautiful shoulders. You look so 'you' with them totally uncovered. Earlier, I mentioned you finding your 'prince' on a deckchair. Tonight you're my fairy princess."

"Thank you." said Grace, "I didn't realise you appreciated that kind of thing. Anyway, you're not looking so bad yourself. I like that frilly shirt. It goes well with your bow tie."

"You two really look the part." said David, "My opinion of JJ is going up by the day. I scarcely recognised him this evening."

"He can put on a good show if he thinks it's worth it." said Celia, "He obviously thinks Grace is worth the effort. We didn't have to prompt or remind him about anything. He just buckled down and got ready for the evening."

David looked at his watch and commented there was time for an aperitif before the meal. He ordered a round of dry sherries. Edward thanked him for his generosity.

"Don't worry about it." said David, "Let's drink a toast to our happy couple of children. They seem to have found something in each other that we could not provide; deep happiness."

"To our happy children!" said David.

JJ and Grace blushed. They were not used to being called a 'happy couple'. They felt that title only really applied to newlyweds.

At the dinner, they were ushered to an eight seat table and were joined by two of the officers, one of whom was the captain. During the meal photographs were taken of JJ and Grace with the ship's officers. Much to JJ's embarrassment, he was declared the best dressed young man in the restaurant.

After dinner, the group made sure they had seats at the front for the evening show. JJ paid very close attention to the conjuring act on stage, as he used to do magic tricks in a small way when he was at college. Although he had some knowledge of magic, he could not fathom how the conjuror did some of his tricks.

The remainder of the evening was spent in Scott's bar near the stern of the ship chatting, drinking and dancing. The conversations ranged over many subjects including drug use in Roundview College and the forthcoming visit to Copenhagen.

Towards the end of the evening, the small group finished their set and a DJ took charge of the music. As midnight approached, he played 'Follow You, Follow Me' by Genesis. JJ could not resist the temptation to invite Grace to dance with him. They danced cheek to cheek for the whole of the song. As it ended, they kissed. It wasn't a full passionate snog, but they did kiss as though they meant it. This was not unobserved.

"You two certainly seem to have got together." commented David.

"We have." said Grace, "I'll have to admit it. I think I'm falling in love with JJ."

"Jeremiah," said David, "Would you say that you love my daughter?"

"I believe I do." said JJ, "I've never felt this way about anyone before. She's affected every part of me really deeply. I don't feel I really deserve such affection from such a wonderful person, but it's happened."

"Don't put yourself down." said David, "Being with you has made Grace happier than I've ever seen her. You are so obviously in to each other that I can only hope that this friendship lasts and you live up to the sentiments expressed in the lyrics of that last song."

"I don't know how I can thank you." said JJ.

"You don't have to." said David, "Just make sure my daughter comes to no harm."

"Thank you." said JJ, "As a matter of fact 'Follow You, Follow Me' was the Genesis song I hesitated to play to Grace in case she took the words too literally, but now I'm beginning to feel our relationship has a future, she can accept the words of the song."

"I'm happy about the way you've befriended my daughter." said David, "Your association with Grace has my blessing. Despite your doubts about playing it to her, which I fully understand, I think that song could become your signature tune."

Grace once again hugged her father and kissed him on both cheeks.

"Thank you so much, daddy." said Grace, "I really don't know what it is about JJ, but he just makes me so happy. Yes, I do so love him."

JJ blushed.

With this, the two small family groups left the bar for their beds. Although they had not been on any excursions that day, all six people felt a satisfying exhaustion by the time they reached their cabins. As they had an early start the next morning, they agreed to breakfast in Marco's restaurant. Once they went to bed, sleep came very quickly.

Much to David's relief, the next day was bright and sunny. The forecast indicated that the weather was going to be good for the next couple of days so the weather on the trip to Berlin would be good as well.

Copenhagen didn't disappoint. JJ liked the contrast between old and new architecture. He particularly enjoyed two of the quirkier spires, that of our Saviour's church with its external spiral staircase and the one on the old stock exchange with its four twisted dragons' tails. He was also impressed by the very modern opera house across the harbour. Another attraction, enjoyed by Grace, was the 'Little Mermaid' statue. It reminded her of the fairy tales read her by Sonia when she was little. Being in the city of Hans Christian Andersen gave her a warm feeling inside. The boat trip round the waterways also proved interesting as it gave a view of the 'Little Mermaid' from the water. All too soon the shore excursion was over and the group returned to the ship for lunch and a talk about Berlin, which they would be visiting the next day.

Since it was well past midday when they reboarded the ship, they elected to enjoy a buffet lunch at Marco's as this would be quicker, less formal and would allow time for a relaxing drink before the talk. Although none of them had been on a cruise before, it was clear that they were settling in to shipboard life and getting to know the layout of the ship.

The Berlin lecture proved to be interesting and informative. The speaker covered the history of the city, which had been divided in two from the end of the Second World War until the fall of communism. He mentioned the relics of the Cold War and the divided city, such as the fragments of the wall that still stood and the boundary of the 'American Sector,'. Mention was also made of the Reichstag and the Cathedral, which would be seen on more than one of the excursions. Once Berlin had been described, the speaker went on to describe the other excursions available from Warnemünde such as the intriguingly titled 'The Molli and the Minster'. This was a visit to a historic narrow gauge railway (the Molli) followed by a historic redbrick church.

Once again, since time was not an issue in the evening, a waiter service dinner was enjoyed in the Waldorf restaurant. It was now obvious to both sets of parents, that JJ and Grace were completely in tune with each other.

The evening show was a variety extravaganza consisting of several different acts. The acrobatic duo impressed David as, although the Baltic Sea was calmer, the ship was still moving about a bit.

Since all had a very long day in front of them, they decided to have a comparatively early night. Accordingly, they only had a couple of drinks after the show before retiring to bed. JJ and Grace kissed each other before going to their separate cabins. What was, in the morning, friendship between the two young people was developing into love.


	5. Chapter 5: Berlin, Coffee and Breakdowns

**Chapter 5: Berlin, Coffee and Breakdowns**

The group breakfasted at Marco's as this would be quicker and they had to board an early coach for the three-hour drive to Berlin. The weather was sunny, but not too hot with a fresh breeze. It heralded a comfortable day for visiting the capital of Germany. They had a little time after breakfast and before the excursion, so they went out to the pool deck and watched the ferries plying back and forth across the harbour.

"It looks like it's going to be a lovely day." said David, "Not a cloud in the sky."

"So this is Germany." said Edward , "It looks nice. Although I suppose this is only a little coastal port."

"I think you'll find Berlin is very different from this." said David, "Is everybody comfortable? We've got a three hour coach journey in front of us."

With this, the group made full use of the facilities on board the ship before going ashore and joining the coach which would take them to Germany's capital city. they selected three pairs of seats on the right hand side of the coach. David sat in front with Sonia, while Edward sat with Celia at the rear. Grace, of course sat in the middle pair of seats with JJ. JJ let Grace have the window seat.

"Are you looking forward to seeing Berlin?" asked JJ.

"Of course I am." said Grace, "It's one of the excursions I'm particularly looking forward to."

"It's quite interesting that that the city was split in two for twenty-eight years." said JJ, "I know we're not going on the 'Cold War' tour, but I hope we're going to see some of the remaining bits of the wall."

"From what I've seen on television," said Grace, "What remains has Graffiti all over it."

The group then settled down to the long drive along an autobahn through the North German countryside to the capital. About half way there, the coach pulled into a service area for a 'comfort' stop. Once they had restarted, the guide outlined what they were going to visit during the tour. Notable highlights would be the Reichstag, the Cathedral, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate. The river cruise would be a chance to see some of Berlin's landmarks from a fresh angle. Regretfully, there would not be time for a visit to the Fernsehturm, the television tower in East Berlin with its wide views across the city. Arrangements for lunch were outlined for the benefit of those passengers worried about food. After this briefing, they were allowed to enjoy the remaining hour's drive into the city.

After passing Frederick the Great's palace in Potsdam and the Olympic stadium on the way in to the city, the first call was to Kurfürstendamm, where they were allowed to explore for a while and visit the Kaiser Wilhelm Church. JJ remarked that this church was left in ruins as a memorial and a reminder of the loss of life during the Second World War.

"Like Coventry Cathedral." said Grace.

"A bit like that," said JJ, "But in Coventry, we built a brand new brick cathedral next to the ruins of the old one."

"That was one of three British cathedrals built about then." said Grace, "The other two were Catholic; Liverpool and Bristol."

"Don't forget Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral." said JJ, "But that was started at the beginning of the twentieth century."

Once they had enjoyed the ethos of this part of Berlin, the tour continued to a restaurant under a railway arch for lunch. Looking along the arches gave a good view of the Fernsehturm, with its globular viewing galleries and the TV antenna pointing upwards into a clear blue sky. Grace and JJ were among the first passengers to leave the coach.

"It's a pity we haven't got enough time to visit that." said JJ, as the remaining passengers slowly alighted from the coach, "I expect the view from the gallery would be brilliant."

"Perhaps we can go up there on another visit." said Grace, "After all, you can't see the whole of Berlin in one day."

"I'm glad you're thinking of our friendship as if it's going to last." said JJ.

"I am." said Grace, smiling and giving JJ's hand a little squeeze.

The tour group enjoyed a pleasant German style three course lunch with some local beer, before continuing to the next part of the Berlin visit; the cruise on the River Spree. This offered different views of such landmarks as the Reichstag and the main railway station. As they were cruising the river, a few people were seen riding Segways round the city. Also of interest were the various other pleasure boats on the river. One aspect of Berlin which they found baffling was the network of large brightly coloured pipes meandering their way above ground level round parts of the city.

"Daddy, what do you think those are for?" asked Grace, as she noticed a pink pipe near the river, "I've seen them round other parts of the city. Sometimes there's one large one or three smaller ones. They're all painted in bright colours. Could they be an art installation?"

"I have no idea." said David, "But they're quite a prominent feature of the city. Perhaps Jeremiah might know."

"I think I might actually be able to help you there." said JJ, "Before coming on the. Cruise, I looked at some pictures of Berlin. Some of them included these pipes. This intrigued me, so I tried to find out what they were for."

"What did you find out?" asked David.

"Berlin is built on what used to be a swamp." said JJ, "The level of the groundwater is very high. Apparently, the pipes were installed to transport groundwater from the soil to rivers and canals, where it can flow away. I've no idea why the authorities decided to put them above ground, or why they're painted in such bright colours."

The next area to be visited was the Brandenburg Gate, then Checkpoint Charlie. The coach then parked on the Western side of the Brandenburg Gate so that the group could see the Cathedral and get a better view of the Reichstag. Just before they arrived at the Brandenburg Gate parking place, JJ noticed a tall tower to their left.

"That's another Berlin viewpoint we'll have to visit if we come here again." said JJ, "It's the Siegessäule or Victory Column."

"Don't be so pessimistic!" said Grace, "We're going to stay together, so we're definitely coming here again. Now I've found you I've no intention of letting you disappear from my life. I'm coming to love you, believe it or not."

"Thank you, Grace." said JJ, pleasantly surprised, "We'll have to be feeling quite energetic to go up to the Siegessäule viewing gallery. There are 285 steps and no lift."

The next part of the tour was spent exploring this part of Berlin on foot. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to queue up and see the new glass dome of the Reichstag from the inside. In any case, the itinerary did not include it. JJ mentioned that the renovation of the building after the Second World War was undertaken by British architect, Sir Norman Foster.

Finally, they went to a place near Berlin's O2 Arena, where some time was allowed for viewing the graffiti on a surviving section of the Berlin Wall. One of the more curious objects there was an East German Trabant car, the kind of vehicle common in East Germany before the fall of the communist regime.

When they returned to the Brandenburg Gate, to get ready to return to Warnemünde, things started to go awry. An inspector from the German Ministry of Transport condemned the coach and another one had to be found. By the time the replacement vehicle arrived, it was discovered that the driver could not reach Warnemünde without exceeding his permitted hours. There was now a long delay while a replacement driver was found.

"Would you like a coffee?" asked JJ, "Since we're going to be stuck here for a while."

"I'd love one," said Grace, "But I'm sure mummy and daddy would like one too?"

"I suppose so." said JJ.

Grace and JJ asked their respective parents whether they would also like a coffee. Having gained their agreement, JJ offered to go to get the coffees.

"Where are you going to get coffee here?" asked David, "All I can see is a sausage stall."

"There's a Starbucks fifty yards the other side of the Brandenburg Gate." said JJ, "I saw it when we were here earlier."

"Okay!" said David, "Off you go!"

JJ got off the coach after explaining to the guide that he wouldn't be long. He returned about ten minutes later with six Grande Lattes. As they started to enjoy these, the guide announced that the new driver would come in about fifteen minutes.

Eventually the coach got under way towards the autobahn. As on the Southbound journey, as expected, there was a 'comfort' break. This was needed by the six coffee drinkers. However, their transport woes were not over yet. When the coach left the autobahn towards the end of the journey, the new driver lost his way. After a few minutes they found themselves being driven round quiet leafy residential roads. The driver stopped, made a phone call and turned round, with some difficulty, at a T junction. They drove back a couple of miles, rejoined the main road and eventually found the ship. They were now two hours late. Fortunately, the ship's crew had been informed that there was a coach load of hungry passengers arriving at about half past ten. Accordingly Marco's restaurant was kept open and the two families enjoyed a belated buffet dinner.

After dinner, they adjourned upstairs to Scott's bar to wind down after dinner, and spent the rest of the evening until well past midnight drinking, chatting and dancing. This didn't matter as the next day was to be spent at sea with the final Romanov lecture not due until ten o'clock to be followed by a short briefing about Tallin. During their time in the bar, JJ requested that the DJ played 'Follow you, Follow me' by Genesis. Even though they were tired after a long day, Grace and JJ danced intimately to the song, kissing each other quite ardently and in a full embrace as it finished.

"I must say that song is definitely becoming your signature tune." said David, "And you two seem to be getting very close emotionally with each other."

"Yes, 'Follow you, Follow me' is beginning to mean a lot to us." said Grace, "We feel so close to each other now. We're almost part of each other. I can almost sense what he's thinking. He makes me feel so safe and secure, almost as if I'm enveloped by love. I don't want it to end."

"Nor do I!" said JJ, "I've got to admit it. I think I am falling in love with Grace. She's such a special person. She seems to understand me. She appears to be able to read my moods, even my thoughts."

"One thing I've noticed about you," said David, "Is that you're unusually open about your feelings. I like that."

"There's no point in trying to hide my feelings." said JJ, "In any case, I'm no good at concealing them. That song does seem to express how we're beginning to feel about each other."

"As I have already said," said David, "You're a long way from the anxious, worried Jeremiah Jones I knew back at Roundview. You not only strike me as a gentle, considerate young man, but you seem to have brought Grace back to life from a really deep depression."

JJ was blushing scarlet by this time. He didn't expect quite such fulsome praise from David Blood.

"I don't know what to say." said JJ, "Except that Grace is the person who has changed me."

"Don't say anything, Jeremiah." said David, "Just accept that you have made Grace supremely happy. I think she's made you happy as well. I will admit that when Grace told me who she'd met on the ship, I had serious doubts about you. Now I've seen you two together, it's obvious that you make an almost perfect couple. You'll probably be surprised to hear this from me, but your relationship has my blessing."

"Oh, thank you so much, daddy!" said Grace, once again hugging and kissing her father.

"Anyway, tomorrow is here," said David, "We'd better get some sleep. We'll have breakfast in the Waldorf at eight thirty."

With this, they left Scott's bar and descended to their cabins.

"You seem to have impressed David Blood." said Edward, as JJ entered the cabin after saying 'good night' to Grace. "You stood up to his questions very well. I hope, for everyone's sake that your affair with Grace takes wing."

"I'm just beginning to believe that it might." said JJ, "She's admitted that what she feels for me is love."

What had begun, on the second day of the cruise, with a casual meeting between two people who had never met before, now had the potential to develop into a deep and intense loving relationship. JJ and Grace had found in each other the love they had desired for years. Now, at the end of day six of the voyage, they were just beginning to dream of a future together.


	6. Chapter 6: Developing links

**Chapter 6: Developing links**

During the night, a narrow band of cloud and rain had overtaken the ship. It had brought with it a very strong North Westerly breeze, which made for a lively sea. This became obvious as the two families entered consciousness and prepared to go to Breakfast. The ship was moving about quite noticeably. Today, they were to cross the most open stretch of the Baltic Sea on their way to Tallin, the capital of Estonia. This was the roughest sea they had encountered since they had left Avonmouth. It was even choppier than the parts of the English Channel and the North Sea they had crossed earlier. Edward, Celia and JJ were ready for breakfast when David knocked on the door of their cabin.

"How are you feeling?" asked Grace, as JJ opened the door.

"More or less okay." said JJ, "I'll feel better once I've had a good solid breakfast."

"Are we still going to the Waldorf?" asked Edward.

"No, I think we should go up to Marco's." said David, "It's brighter and you have a better view of the horizon. That can help in a rough sea, not that it's all that rough this morning."

"Okay, Marco's it is then." said Edward.

"In that case," said David, "We've got time for a bit of fresh air before breakfast,"

When the group reached the pool deck, it was obvious that they were in open sea. There were no other ships in sight in any direction. The sun was shining and the sea was a deep blue. There were a few clouds scudding across the sky. The crests of the waves were being whipped up into little peaks of white foam. JJ faced into the wind and took a deep breath.

"I know you enjoyed that." said Grace, smiling, "Your expression was so blissful."

"Yes, I did." said JJ, "The air out here is so fresh and so clean. It's almost like breathing the air in Heaven, with my personal angel beside me."

"You're very effusive with your compliments this morning." said Grace, "Has the fresh air got to you?"

"Yes, it has." said JJ, "I feel utterly alive and ready for anything this day can throw at me."

"Wow!" exclaimed Celia, "You are a transformed person on this cruise. I don't think I've ever seen you so optimistic about life first thing in the morning. Incidentally, have you been taking your medication?"

"I don't think I have." said JJ, somewhat embarrassed.

"Does he really need it?" queried Edward, "He seems far happier without it."

"I think the only drug I need is Grace's love and understanding." said JJ, giving Grace a cuddle, "She makes me feel human."

"Anyway," said David, "Let's go in. I'm looking forward to a full English."

With this, the group found a table near a window on the port side of the ship, and took it in turns to collect their breakfast items. David headed straight for the egg chef before collecting his bacon, sausages, potatoes and beans. JJ did the same. After they had eaten, they went to the open deck ahead of the bridge to enjoy some more fresh air before spending most of the rest of the morning in the lounge listening to talks. The first of these was the final talk about the Romanovs, leading up to the overthrow of the Tsar during the revolution and the murder of the whole family in 1917. Immediately after this, the forthcoming excursions in Tallin were outlined.

Marco's was again the venue for lunch as JJ and Grace wanted some time alone together before the afternoon's drugs lecture. They spent this time enjoying the fresh air out on deck.

"JJ," said Grace, "I think it's a bit naughty of you to be skipping your medication, but that doesn't appear to have caused any problems. How much medication are you on at the moment?"

"Only one tablet per day, when I remember to take it." said JJ, "I used to be on about twenty different drugs until my folks changed my psychiatrist. The new one remarked that some of the drugs were cancelling each other out. He reduced the number of pills gradually to the one per day. He also talked with me more than the original one. My mood did improve quite a bit, but not as much as meeting you has boosted it."

"It sounds as though all you lacked was real companionship." said Grace, "Did you have any close friends?"

"Yes, I did." said JJ, "Freddie and James Cook. Freddie was considerate and kept my rages in check when I felt I was losing it. Cook was a bit a of a wild one, but he could prevent me from completely losing it. I counted them as my only true friends. We'd been together right through secondary school."

"Didn't you have friendships with any girls?" asked Grace.

"I would have liked to," said JJ, "But the psychiatrist I was with at the time said I definitely shouldn't."

"That seems rather cruel," said Grace, "And a bit unnatural. How did you take that?"

"I accepted it, but with some sadness." said JJ, "I got depressed with the expectation that I would never have a girlfriend."

"Things have obviously changed." said Grace, "What happened?"

"I became friendly with a very pretty girl called Lara Lloyd." said JJ, "But she was a single mother, who was still quite close to the baby's father. I should have realised that this wouldn't work out. The baby's father came back into her life, so I was out of the picture. We broke up."

JJ was almost in tears at this point. Grace put her arm round him and cuddled him.

"It didn't help that while this was going on," continued JJ, "Freddie was murdered and Cook was arrested for the murder of the man who had killed Freddie. This is when my folks changed my doctor. They also provided diversions in the form of various holidays. The reduction in my medication helped, but I still felt really down."

"I'm not surprised." said Grace, "If I had lost both my closest friends and wasn't allowed to talk to boys, I think I'd be depressed, although that is what happened to me, but to a lesser extent, but do go on."

"Anyway," said JJ, "They said that they would look at booking 'something completely different', and showed me some cruise brochures. They asked me to choose one. I liked the idea, but didn't believe anything would come of it. I've been disappointed so many times in the past, but this time, they meant it. I selected this cruise and they booked it, so here I am. I've probably bored you stiff with my story, so I'll shut up for a while."

"I didn't find it boring. In fact, it was quite interesting," said Grace, "I suppose my story is in some respects similar to yours. I think I told you most of it not long after we first met. Whilst I appreciate that my folks wanted the best for me, I spent most of my school time at a girls' boarding school. I only spent one year at Roundview. I suppose I did enjoy the girls' school to a certain extent. The other girls were quite like me, so it was easy to make casual friends. However, I began to feel there was something lacking in my life. As I said before, the girls there seemed more interested in horses than people. When I came to Roundview, I realised that what I missed was close friendship with different kinds of people."

"Including boys, I guess." said JJ.

"Well, that was part of it." said Grace, "I got into a little clique of about eight people, boys and girls. We became quite close friends. Somehow, I was introduced to a boy called Rich by his friend, Alo. Rich was an uncompromising 'metal head'. Alo felt that I could help his friend to be more agreeable towards girls. Rich introduced me to heavy metal music, and I introduced him to ballet. What was unexpected was that we fell in love with each other. Once I'd penetrated his facade, I discovered that he was really sweet and gentle. The uncompromising metal head exterior was only a front he used to conceal his shyness."

"That seemed to be developing into an ideal situation." said JJ, "What went wrong?"

"During the Summer holidays," said Grace, "All of our group went on a holiday to Morocco. It was marvellous for the first few days. Then one of our number, a girl called Franky, got friendly with a guy called Luke. I was sitting in the front seat of a Land Rover, talking to one of the boys in our group, a guy called Matty, when one of the girls in our group climbed into the back and urged Matty to follow Luke, who was driving off with Franky. She warned Matty that Luke was in with drug dealers, and that Matty should try to stop Luke. Matty started the car and followed Luke's open BMW for a few miles. I hadn't had a chance to get out. At a bend we encountered an oncoming truck. The last thing I remember was the Land Rover hitting an earth bank and turning over. I woke up in hospital four weeks later, unable to speak and partly paralysed. Miraculously, I hadn't actually broken anything, but I did suffer a subdural haemorrhage. I was told that my brain would take a long time to heal. I don't know what happened to the other two in the car, but it took me over a year to recover. When I had recovered enough to resume my 'A' levels, I was sent back to the girls' boarding school."

"Do you know what happened to Rich?" asked JJ.

"I do know he tried to visit me in hospital," said Grace, "But daddy managed to stop him. I was even taken to Zurich. I believe Rich obtained a place in Cambridge University and so was out of my life. When I realised I'd lost him, I was utterly heartbroken. I don't think my parents realised just how much Rich had meant to me. I did complete my 'A' levels with good grades, but I started to descend into a downward spiral. Mummy and daddy tried their best to keep me cheerful, but weren't very successful. I felt I'd experienced real love and lost it. Eventually, they came up with the idea of this cruise. They thought it might be educational. It also offered the chance to see one of Russia's top ballet companies in action. At least that was something to look forward to."

"How do you feel about Rich now?" asked JJ.

"I still miss him," said Grace, "But I've come to accept that he represents a lovely episode in my life that's now in my past. I suppose I've been living in the hope that someone better might come into my life."

As she said this, Grace smiled sweetly and looked JJ straight into his eyes.

"I think you've told me a lot more than you would normally reveal to anyone." said JJ, "What prompted you to be so open about your past."

"I suppose it's because I've come to trust you." said Grace, "Don't be too embarrassed when I say this, but you're gentle, considerate and a very good listener. I feel deep down inside that I can tell you all my troubles and you'll somehow understand."

JJ was blushing by this time. He was not used to anyone saying such nice things about him. He was silent for a few seconds.

"You don't have to answer this question right now," said JJ, "But how do you actually feel about me?"

"I'm coming to love you." said Grace, "I'm coming to love you a lot. Rich was nice, but you're somehow sweeter and more innocent, and you're not heavily into death metal. In fact, I quite like your taste in music."

"I don't know quite how to say this," said JJ, "But are you implying that I might be the 'someone better' that you mentioned just now."

JJ was still blushing.

"In a word, yes." said Grace, as she embraced JJ and kissed him fully and passionately.

"Wh - what was that for?" asked a somewhat startled JJ.

"For you being the quiet, gentle person who, I believe, loves me," said Grace, "Although he's too shy to admit it. Anyway, it's nearly time for us to hear about cocaine so let's go down."

JJ and Grace returned to their cabins, reminded their respective parents that the talk on cocaine was imminent and headed for the Marco Polo lounge. The lecture proved fascinating as it covered the history of the drug from the use of coca leaves in the seventeenth century, through the refining of the pure drug in the late nineteenth century right through to the steps taken to render it illegal in the twentieth. Mention was made of the fact that Coca Cola contained small quantities of cocaine until 1906. The speaker also mentioned the uses of the drug and its addictive effects. More modern variants such as crack cocaine were also mentioned. The speaker also mentioned that one of the effects of making cocaine illegal was that, now the supply was in the hands of organised criminals, nearly all illicit supplies were anything but pure. They were quite often mixed with other far more harmful substances.

"Well, that was interesting." said David, after the talk, "I never realised that coca leaves were still in legal use in some countries."

"Coca tea is the 'welcome' drink as guests check in to hotels in Cuzco." said JJ.

"How do you know that?" asked David.

"Naomi Campbell told me." said JJ, "Her mother took her on a tour of the Inca ruins in Peru just before she came to Roundview. As soon as they arrived, they were served cups of the stuff. They also chewed the leaves. It's supposed to fend off the effects of altitude sickness. Cuzco is about 3,400 metres above sea level. The road to the sacred valley of the Incas goes even higher."

"You're a cornucopia of odd facts." observed Grace, "Have you ever played 'trivial Pursuit'?"

"Yes." said JJ, "The problem was that I almost always won. I was too good at it. Cook always roped me into his team when we had a pub quiz."

Unusually the group went to Marco's for a late afternoon tea, where they could all discuss the contents of the talk they had just attended. David commented that the speaker had been very persuasive in his views about the effects of heavy handed laws, and that his views on prohibition era America would be interesting.

Between afternoon tea and dinner, JJ and Grace were allowed some more time alone together. This time, they went to the pool deck where they had first met. Unprompted, JJ bought Grace a shot of Cointreau. He bought a malt whisky for himself.

"That's exactly what I was going to ask for." said Grace, "How did you know?"

"I just had this feeling that you wanted a Cointreau." said JJ.

"There's more to you than I realised." said Grace, "It seems you can almost read my thoughts."

"I don't know about that." said JJ, "What makes you think that?"

"Well, apart from the Cointreau," said Grace, "There was your remark about my prince not riding in on a white stallion the other day, even before I'd told you anything about fairy tales, happy endings and disillusionment."

"I think you had mentioned it," said JJ, "So the fairy prince reference was appropriate."

"Anyway," said Grace, "I'm beginning to believe there is a connection developing between us."

"I suppose I'll have to admit it." said JJ, "All my waking thoughts nowadays do seem to be about you."

"That's love!" remarked Grace, smiling sweetly, "You are in love. If it's any reassurance to you, I feel the same way about you. It feels so right and so natural spending time with you. I am in love with you. You're becoming a part of me."

It took some time for this comment from Grace to sink in. JJ was speechless. He he'd never before had a beautiful girl openly declare her love for him. JJ and Grace sat silently for a while, enjoying their drinks and meditating on what they had just had confirmed about their feelings for each other. They exchanged frequent glances and smiles. JJ felt a deep and tranquil euphoria, such as he had never felt before, not with Emily, not with Lara, but this girl was different. He would never be the same again.

"We'll have to tell our parents." said JJ, "They'll need to know how we feel about each other."

"Not yet." said Grace, "We'll wait until we've visited St Petersburg. They should be more accommodating towards our relationship by then, although I suspect they already know about it."

"Talking about St Petersburg," said JJ, "Have you decided what you're going to wear to the ballet?"

"Not yet." said Grace, "I could wear the blue dress I wore to the 'formal' dinner the other night."

"That would be so lovely." said JJ, "That dress really suits you."

"But I do have another very pretty cocktail dress." said Grace, smiling, "I won't tell you anything about it until you see me wearing it. It's going to be a surprise."

"I'll look forward to that." said JJ, " Incidentally, if we're going to enjoy an aperitif with our parents before dinner, it might be an idea to go down."

JJ and Grace returned briefly to their cabins, joined with their parents and headed for the 'Captain's Club' bar for a round of dry sherries.

"What have you two been getting up to?" asked David.

"Enjoying the fresh air and discussing our situation." said Grace, "The amazing thing is that JJ seems to be able to read my mind."

"What makes you think that?" asked David.

"We had a drink on the pool deck." said Grace, "He asked for a Cointreau for me without knowing that was exactly what I wanted. We don't have to say anything to enjoy each other's presence. It's so wonderful just being together."

"And you, Jeremiah?" asked David.

JJ exchanged glances and smiles with Grace before he answered this one.

"One of the things we discussed was our feelings for each other." said JJ, "In fact, we had something of a heart to heart conversation. We had decided to wait until after the St Petersburg visit before telling you, but we both know now how we feel about each other. We're totally in love."

"Grace," began David, "How do you feel about Jeremiah?"

"I've got to admit it," said Grace, smiling, "I feel the same way about JJ. He's gentle and considerate. He treats me with respect. He also seems to know intuitively what I'm thinking or feeling. All my waking thoughts seem to be about him."

"I've got to admit it," said David, "You two do strike me as a really close couple, totally in tune with each other. I'll admit that Jeremiah was a long way from what I was expecting as your boyfriend, but you've made such a deep impression on each other, that it would be cruel for me to withhold my genuine approval."

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You're such a lovely daddy!" said Grace, as she once again hugged and kissed her father.

"Wow!" exclaimed David, "I can't remember you ever being so affectionate towards your daddy. Has being at sea affected you?"

"No, but JJ has." said Grace, beaming, "Anyway, I'm feeling hungry, so let's go down to dinner."

As they hadn't been on any excursions that day, they were able to enjoy a relaxed and leisurely dinner in the Waldorf restaurant. This was followed later in the evening by the show. This evening, comprised a selection of songs by Abba. The show was, in effect, an abbreviated concert performance of the musical 'Mamma Mia'. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. The audience sang and clapped along with the final songs; Waterloo and 'Thank You For the Music'. The smile didn't leave Grace's pretty face for the whole show.

"What did you think of that?" asked Celia.

"It was marvellous." said JJ, "Over the past few years it's been seen as somewhat uncool to like Abba, but that show has changed all that. It's a really feelgood show."

"At least I know who my daddy is." remarked Grace, beaming, "He's the lovely man who's decided he likes JJ. Let's go to Scott's and drink to that."

Once again, while they were in Scott's bar, JJ danced with Grace. One of the livelier numbers played by the DJ was 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves'. JJ and Grace really moved to this. They danced energetically and in a very co-ordinated manner. There seemed indeed to be a connection between them. Sonia and David smiled as this used to be their own signature tune. As midnight approached, the DJ played 'Baby I'm a Want You' by Bread. JJ and Grace got up and danced slowly, cheek to cheek to this.

As they came off the dance floor, Grace commented, "I think you were taking in every word of that song."

"I was." said JJ, "I'm beginning to think they might apply to us. You have rescued me from a kind of oblivion and I'm so hoping that we actually have got a future together."

The couple embraced and kissed intensely before accompanying their parents back to the cabins, where they said goodbye to each other for the night and then prepared for bed. As JJ and Grace were both feeling happy and relaxed with each other, a deep and satisfying sleep came quickly for both of them.


	7. Chapter 7: Tallin, Love and Anticipation

**Chapter 7: Tallin, Love and Anticipation**

The next morning, after breakfast, JJ and Grace, together with their parents were on the open deck ahead of the bridge watching the ship approaching Tallin. As the city came into view, Grace's eyes opened wide. Her jaw dropped. She looked ecstatic.

"I think I'm going to like this place." she said, "It looks so pretty."

As the ship approached the quay, the beauty of the buildings was becoming more obvious. At eleven o'clock sharp, the ship was tied up to the dock. The little group of six made their way off the ship to board the coach which would take them round Estonia's small capital city. The tour started with a visit to the main square, where, after some explanation of the architecture and history of the city, a light lunch was enjoyed by all in one of the cafés.

"It's almost strange to see a place with all traditional buildings these days." said JJ, "What's more, it's so peaceful."

"I didn't believe places like this existed any more." said Celia.

"It's certainly a lovely little city." said David.

As they travelled on round the city and visited various places of interest, it was plain that Grace felt she was in a particularly lovely corner of her inner fairy tale world. When they reached the Russian Orthodox Church at the top of the hill, there was a view across the city right back to the ship. The features Grace loved most were the round towers in the city walls with their conical tiled roofs. The many other towers and turrets also enchanted her. JJ, naturally, was elated by Grace's blissful expression.

"I thought little cities like this only existed in fairy tales." said Grace, "I can easily imagine Rapunzel being imprisoned in one of those round towers."

"Well, they certainly do look the part." remarked JJ, "Although I expect they would have been full of soldiers if the city was under threat."

"I can't quite believe that I'm actually in the kind of fairy tale place I used to tell you about." observed Sonia,"It's all so beautiful."

Once the coach returned them to the ship, dark clouds were gathering and it was clear that a spell of heavy rain was imminent.

"We've still got quite a bit of time before dinner." said JJ, addressing Grace, "What would you like to do?"

"Could you collect your music player and the headphones?" said Grace, "Then we could listen to some more of your music."

"Coincidentally, that's exactly what I had in mind." said JJ, "We'll go to the cabins and I'll collect them. The battery is fully charged."

"Where will you be playing your music to Grace?" asked David.

"The same place as before." said JJ, "In a quiet corner of the 'Captain's Club' bar."

"That's good." said David, "We'll meet you there about an hour before dinner."

"That would be perfect." said Grace.

After they returned from the tour, JJ collected the headphones and took Grace to the bar. This time, he played samples from the full range of his musical preferences from bubblegum to extreme rock and from early music to avant garde electronic music. Grace was fascinated that he could appreciate such a wide range of genres. He began with a selection from the 'classical' part of his collection. She immediately fell in love with Gustav Mahler's music when he played the finale from the fifth symphony. She did comment that one of the avant garde electronic pieces sounded like an MRI scanner.

"When did you hear one of those things?" asked JJ.

"Once I'd regained consciousness after the car crash," said Grace, "The hospital carried out a few scans to try to find out if there was any physical reason for my partial paralysis. I found the sounds the scanner made were fascinating in a strange way."

The selection of pop music from the 1970s and 1980s that JJ played enchanted Grace. Her face went through a range of expressions ranging from desperately sad to ecstatic as she listened to different tracks. With his aspergers Syndrome, JJ couldn't usually read people's faces, but with Grace it was different. He could actually know how she was feeling from her facial expressions.

"Those songs from the last century had such feeling." said Grace, "They really tug at your emotions, especially that one by Mike and the Mechanics."

"You mean 'The Living Years'," said JJ, "That one actually made me cry the first time I heard it. It's so true to life. I usually try to suppress my emotions, but that one just cut through all my defences. Mum wondered what was wrong when she found me listening to it with tears streaming down my face."

"You shouldn't try to suppress your feelings." said Grace, "That doesn't do anybody any good, least of all you. You just end up stressed and uncomfortable."

"I suppose I used to be frightened of my emotions." said JJ, "I wanted to keep them under control. I found the easiest way to do that was to suppress them completely. It didn't always work. Often, when I was frustrated, anger would boil up and I would fly into a violent rage."

"Have you had any of those feelings on this cruise?" asked Grace.

"Only on the first day or so." said JJ, "When you first met me on the pool deck, I had felt frustration and anger building up inside me, so I decided that the best thing to do was to go out somewhere where there would be few people about and try to slowly calm down. That's why I wasn't in the talk about Rotterdam. Then you came along and instantly calmed my chaotic emotions. I still don't know how you did it. Since then I've been completely calm. Until that moment, I didn't believe anyone could affect me like that. I don't know how you do it, but you do seem to be able to get me to be completely open and honest about my weaknesses with you. When you're around me, I don't feel inhibited about expressing my feelings. I haven't put you off me, have I?"

Grace put her arm across JJ's shoulders and caressed him. He found this comforting and reassuring.

"What a torrent of words!" said Grace, "No, you haven't put me off. If anything, you've helped me to understand you better. I'm beginning to realise why you are the way you are."

"That's a relief!" said JJ, "I wondered whether I might have said too much."

"No you haven't." said Grace, "You've just helped me know you better. Despite your problems, you're a wonderful person."

"So are you." said JJ.

Once again, the couple declared their intensifying feelings for each other, so they were looking happy and tranquil when their parents arrived in the bar.

"Hello you two." said David, "You're both looking very serene."

"Yes," said Grace, "We've come to understand each other even more deeply."

As a waiter approached their table, David ordered a round of six fino sherries.

"Your Grace is such a marvellous person." said JJ, as David finished ordering the drinks, "She's doing me more good than a whole army of psychiatrists."

"Well, I must say that I don't think I've ever seen you happier." said Celia, "It's wonderful to see. Shipboard life must suit you."

"That could have some bearing on it." said JJ, "Things are reasonably predictable on board. I like that. There aren't any unpleasant surprises, but I do think that meeting Grace was the best thing that could possibly have happened to me. I suppose I've found someone who accepts me as I am and understands me. She makes me feel calm just by being around me."

"Over the past few days," said David, "I'm becoming more convinced that this is a two way process. Grace seems so much more cheerful since she encountered you. Also, there's a serenity about her that I don't think I've ever seen before. Isn't that true, Grace?"

"Yes, it is." said Grace, "I can't remember ever feeling so at peace with myself, or so loving towards everyone around me."

"Well," said David, "You've certainly been more affectionate towards your father. We feel like a family again."

Addressing Edward, he continued, "How is it with you three?"

"When I embarked on this cruise," said Edward, "I didn't have any expectations, but with Jeremiah's dramatic improvement in mood, we feel like a real family again, rather than three separate very different people living under the same roof."

"Let's hope it lasts." said Celia, "Jeremiah is supremely happy and Edward is engaging with both of us."

"Changing the subject, it'll soon be time to go to dinner." said JJ, "I'll pop back to the cabin and put the headphones away before we go in."

JJ got up, returned the headphones and his I-Pod to the cabin and returned about ten minutes later. On his return, all went down to the Waldorf restaurant for dinner. It was plain that the atmosphere between the two families had improved, not that it was bad before, but the recent discussion over the sherries had broken down the few barriers remaining between them. JJ now thought of David Blood as the father of his girlfriend, Grace, and almost a family member rather than the all powerful College Director. As a result, the conversation over dinner was more relaxed. It ranged over many subjects including the evening's 'classical' music concert.

"What shall we do after the concert?" asked Edward.

"I think we'll go to Scott's," said David, "But we might spend less time there. We've got a long day tomorrow."

The group made their way to the Marco Polo lounge and secured some good seats for the concert. This comprised Rossini's overture 'La Gazza Ladra', Shostakovich's Waltz No: 2, Prokofiev's 'Classical' symphony and Tschaikovsky's violin concerto. The cruise line had taken advantage of the fact that a Russian violinist was travelling from Tallin to St Petersburg and invited him onto the ship to perform at this evening's concert. Grace was pleased with the way JJ reacted to the pieces in the concert. He gently rocked in his seat to the triple time rhythms in the overture's crescendos, cuddled her during the Shostakovich waltz, smiled broadly throughout Prokofiev's lightweight symphony and practically conducted the first movement of the concerto. At the end of the concert, the violinist gave an encore; the 'Meditation' from 'Thais' by Massanet, accompanied by the orchestra. Both JJ and Grace seemed to be in a state of concentrated rapture during this piece. In fact, the entire audience were totally silent while it was being played before erupting into enthusiastic applause when it ended.

"I needn't ask you whether you enjoyed that." said a smiling Grace, as they made their way out of the lounge, "Your face was expressing blissful ecstasy throughout the whole concert."

"I loved it every minute of it." said JJ, "I often tie pieces of 'classical' to people I encounter. The opening of the concerto seemed to represent you, and the start of our relationship. It began quietly, then built up to the passionate main theme. I also loved the Shostakovich. It was sweetly romantic and slightly quirky. The overture is one of my personal 'everything's going well' pieces of music. I love it! The encore was heavenly. I did notice that there did seem to be a preponderance of Russian music."

"That's because we're going to be in Russia tomorrow." said Grace, "If you liked the concerto you'll love the music to 'Swan Lake'. Are you looking forward to seeing it."

"Of course," said JJ, "It'll probably be the highlight of the cruise."

By this time, they had reached Scott's bar and found some seats. JJ invited Grace to dance with him when a particularly romantic song was played. After it finished, they sat down. Grace felt it was an appropriate time to try to find out what it was about her that had changed JJ so profoundly. When they returned to their seats, they found that David had provided drinks; a Laphroaig whisky for JJ, and a Cointreau for Grace.

"I'm not sure how to put this," said Grace, smiling and relishing her Cointreau, "But what caused you to let yourself be affected so deeply by me?"

"I'm not sure whether I can put my finger on it," said JJ, "But deep down inside, I felt that you were someone I could trust. I've never had a feeling remotely like that about anyone before. In the past, I've never allowed myself to really trust people. They've always betrayed what trust I put in them, but you're different somehow."

Grace found herself blushing. She was not used to having someone say such nice things about her. She put her arm across JJ's shoulders and kissed him on the cheek.

"That was sweet of you," said JJ, "But what was it for?"

"For you being you." said Grace, "You seem to trust me with your most private thoughts."

"That's because you're a totally wonderful person." said JJ, "Everything about you tells me that I can trust you."

"I'm flattered!" said Grace, "It was so sweet of you to say that. The one thing I find surprising is that you seem to be able to read my expressions. I always believed people with your condition couldn't do that."

"Before I met you," said JJ, "I was like that, but once you'd calmed my galloping thoughts, and I just don't know how you did that, I found I could 'read' your face. It was such a liberating experience."

"That's fantastic," said Grace, "But don't forget that you've changed my attitude to life as well."

At this juncture, the DJ, recognising Grace and JJ, played 'Follow you, Follow me' by Genesis. Naturally, as soon as they recognised the intro, they got up and danced intimately to the song. Each time they heard this song, they found themselves relating more closely to the lyrics. They were beginning to feel that they were truly in love, and that love was going to last.

"That really is becoming your signature tune." observed David, as the couple returned to their seats, "You seem to have found something in each other that us parents couldn't provide. Oddly, that makes me happy in a strange way."

"I've certainly found, in Grace, someone who not only understands me," said JJ, "But also someone who can suppress my Asperger's without making me feel uncomfortable. I could say 'it's wonderful what love can do', but she had calmed my turbulent mind almost as soon as we first spoke to each other. That was some time before we realised we were going to fall in love."

"What about you, Grace?" asked David, "How has Jeremiah affected you?"

"It's hard to put a finger on it," said Grace, "But although we've had different experiences, I can relate to him. We've both lost people really close to us. In JJ's case, he still feels deeply about Cook's arrest and Freddie's murder, and I'm still getting over Rich moving on. It also gives me deep satisfaction that I can calm JJ's feelings just by smiling. I like to feel that I'm helping someone. Also, there seems to be an almost telepathic connection between us. I can sense what JJ is feeling and he can almost read my mind."

With this, David consulted his watch and commented that it was nearly midnight. Bearing in mind that they had to have an early breakfast the next morning, they all returned to their cabins to sleep. This did not come as quickly as the previous night as they were excited by the prospect of the morrow's visit to Russia's second city.


	8. Chapter 8: Peterhof and Swan Lake

**Chapter 8: Peterhof and Swan Lake **

When the group emerged onto the pool deck at about a quarter past six in the morning, en route to Marco's restaurant for an early breakfast, it was obvious that the ship had docked ahead of schedule. They had arrived in a commercial port some way from the city centre. There were dockyard cranes and assorted other ships. Beyond the docks there were many blocks of flats which looked as if they might have been built during the Soviet era. JJ's sharp eyes spotted a pair of triple naval gun turrets in front of one of the blocks of flats. They would have looked more in place on the bow of a warship.

"What do you reckon those are for?" he asked, pointing out the turrets, "They look as if they've 'escaped' from a cruiser."

"I would guess that they're some sort of war memorial" said David, "I wouldn't think that the Russians would use them for anything. You're incredibly observant. I wouldn't have noticed them. We'll have to ask about them if we remember. Anyway, I'm hungry and it's half past. Let's go in."

On this morning, all six family members enjoyed a full fried breakfast. JJ even put three slices of black pudding on his plate when he found it was part of the buffet.

"You're actually eating the black pudding?" remarked David, as JJ arrived at the table.

"Of course!" said JJ, "It's an essential part of a full North of England fried breakfast. The Germans like it as well. They call it blutwurst. That's German for blood sausage. In any case, it tastes good."

"Everyone to their own." commented David, "I'm not sure about that."

"Could I try some?" asked Grace, when she saw it on JJ's plate.

"Certainly." said JJ, giving Grace one of his slices

"That's delicious!" said Grace, tasting it.

"It seems I've introduced you to a new flavour." said JJ, "Haven't you ever had that before?"

"I can't remember ever having tasted anything like that." said Grace, "It doesn't look promising, but it's lovely."

Once they had finished breakfast, there was about half an hour before the tour was due to depart. The excursion they had chosen was the morning tour to the Peterhof Palace and gardens. This one had been chosen because it would allow plenty of time for a light lunch and an early dinner before their trip to the ballet.

For this excursion, the coach took them along the main highway by the harbour. The coach passed quite close to the gun turrets. JJ took the opportunity to ask the guide what a couple of naval gun turrets were doing in front of some fairly normal looking residential buildings.

"They're a memorial to the crew of the cruiser 'Kirov', which provided artillery support during the siege of Leningrad between 1941 and 1944." explained the guide, "Leningrad was the name of this city during the Soviet era. It was renamed back to St Petersburg in 1991. After the 1917 revolution, it was renamed Petrograd. It became Leningrad in 1924. During the Second World War, the Nazis laid siege to the city for 872 days. About 600,000 people starved to death in the city during this time. The siege wasn't lifted until 27th January 1944. The palace we are visiting this morning was nearly destroyed during the Nazi occupation. The Soviets started restoring it immediately after the end of the war, and this work is now nearly complete."

Not long after leaving the Kirov memorial behind they passed several large modern hotels. The excursion continued along the Southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, until they reached the palace. As the tour group disembarked from the coach and started the exploration of the garden it was clear that this palace was a demonstration of Tsarist opulence. Grace was spellbound.

"This is all so beautiful!" she said, as her eyes feasted on the golden statues and fountains.

"I certainly didn't expect anything like this." said JJ, "I thought that after seventy years of Communist rule, the place would be all drab and grey."

"I think a lot of our preconceptions about Russia are going to be completely demolished." said David.

"Well!" said Edward, "It's a lot different from my expectations. I would have thought that the Communists would have destroyed all this. I don't suppose the ordinary citizens would have got anywhere near these places."

"The Communists may have been running a despotic regime," said Celia, "But they didn't destroy their cultural heritage. They were still Russians at heart."

"When I was in my 'AS' year," said JJ, "I met a guy called Sid. He was retaking his 'A2' year with his girlfriend because they wanted to go to university together. He told me that in his 'AS' year, his history group had a field trip to a different part of Russia. He found the place to be somewhat unfriendly. The 'hotel', if you could call it that, was like a prison and the police were really aggressive. Russia did strike him as rather drab, but this is so different."

"Anyway Grace," said David, "Don't exhaust your awe here. We've got two more palaces to visit tomorrow as well as seeing the inside of this one."

After roaming around the gardens for a while, they were guided through the palace itself. Despite David's comment, Grace still appeared to be in the ecstatic trance she entered when she first saw the gardens.

"I know most of 'War and Peace' was set in Moscow," said Grace, "But these rooms, especially this great hall do really bring it to life. I can Imagine some of the ballroom scenes happening in here."

The rest of the palace didn't disappoint. The group came away from the Peterhof Palace with a sense of wonder at the opulence enjoyed by the ruling classes in Tsarist Russia. The coach returned to the ship by way of the outskirts of the city. They did pass through one or two drab grey Communist era housing estates.

Since they had a free afternoon, they enjoyed a relaxed late lunch in the Waldorf restaurant. After this, JJ and Grace enjoyed some time alone together while their parents had an afternoon nap, before getting ready for the trip to the Mariinsky Theatre and the folklore show. They spent the time exploring the ship and discussing what they had seen during the morning. The discussion moved on to their concept of themselves as a couple.

"I was thinking," said Grace, "About unusual pairings. We're quite an unusual couple. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't have thought about dating each other, yet here we are, together, rapidly falling in love with each other and seriously thinking about our future."

"I appreciate that." said JJ, "Are you trying to break it to me gently that we shouldn't really be seeing each other?"

"No! Of course not!" said Grace, giving JJ a reassuring cuddle, "Put any thoughts like that right out of your head. I'm so sorry if I triggered your feelings of insecurity. I was just musing about unexpected pairings. My previous boyfriend, Rich, when I first met him was a leatherclad rocker, whose whole world was heavy metal music. He certainly wasn't the kind of person that my parents would have approved. You're the total opposite of Rich, but again you are a long way from daddy's vision of an ideal potential son in law, but I believe he has, albeit reluctantly, accepted you, which is good. He never did really take to Rich."

"Does that mean we can carry on seeing each other when we get back home?" asked JJ.

"Of course it does." said Grace, "In fact I'm quite looking forward to you letting me in to your world. You seem to have so many interests; all kinds of music, history, mathematics and, your dad tells me, 'Star Trek'. The nice thing about you is that you're a sweet, gentle, considerate young man who treats me with respect. I love you, Jeremiah Jones."

By this time, JJ was blushing. He wasn't used to anyone saying such nice things about him.

"I don't know what to say." said JJ, "Except that I love you too."

"Thank you!" said Grace, "The wonderful thing about this is that we seem to be good for each other. I seem to have calmed your restlessness, and you've given me friendship and companionship such as I've never known before."

"That's a lot for me to live up to." said JJ, "It does help that you're very beautiful - inside as well as out. In fact, you're a totally lovely person."

It was Grace's turn to blush.

"It's my turn to be speechless." said Grace, "Nobody's ever called me beautiful before."

"Possibly you haven't been allowed to let anybody appreciate you enough." said JJ.

"That's remarkably perceptive of you." said Grace, "I suppose I have had rather a sheltered existence, what with all but one year of my education at a girls only boarding school."

"I suppose taking too much notice of doctors has had a somewhat negative effect on my social life." said JJ, "They told me that I was unable to have a good relationship with a girl. I took their advice, but realised that there was something missing from my life. The period I spent with Lara was pleasant, and it hurt when we broke up. Now here I am, totally in love with someone really wonderful."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's different about me?" asked Grace, smiling.

"Where to start!" exclaimed JJ, "Firstly, the dramatic effect you had on me as soon as you found me; the way you seemed to calm my restless chaotic thoughts. Secondly, the fact that you're really nice to get to know. Also, our tastes in music and the arts seem to coincide. For example, we've both read and enjoyed 'War and Peace'. People say that's a long book, but will happily read the whole 'Harry Potter' saga, which is far longer."

"Talking about long books," said Grace, "Have you read 'The Lord of the Rings'?"

"Yes, I have." said JJ, "Now, there's a world that can take you over if you let it. Afterwards it's rewarding to read 'The Silmarillion', because it contains all the mythology of Middle Earth. Anyway, as much as I enjoy talking to you, I suppose we had better be getting ready for the evening. Have you decided what you're going to be wearing this evening?"

"Yes." said Grace, "I've decided to wear my long dress. We'll probably be dancing at the end of the second 'formal' evening, so I'll keep my other cocktail dress for that. Incidentally JJ, how good are you at consoling a crying girl?"

"Why do you ask?" queried JJ.

"'Swan Lake' ends in tragedy." said Grace, "And I might well be in tears as the final curtain falls."

"From what I've read," said JJ, "I think you will find that the Mariinsky Ballet's 'Swan Lake' ends happily. The change was made back in Soviet times, when the company was the Kirov Ballet. I guess the communists thought the original tragic ending was too depressing. I won't go into any more detail, as that might spoil the drama. As for consoling a crying girl, I don't think you'll need that service on this occasion."

With this reassurance, JJ and Grace made their way back to their cabins and prepared for dinner and the evening's entertainment. Grace, as she had promised, did wear the pale blue off the shoulder evening dress that she originally intended to wear to the second 'formal' evening.

"Wow!" exclaimed JJ, as Grace emerged from her cabin, "You look amazing! The other evening I said you looked like a princess. Tonight, you're the Queen."

"Thank you! You're looking pretty good as well." said Grace, "You know how to dress the part."

As the journey to the ballet started at seven o'clock, they used Marco's for a light dinner.

"I find this rather amusing." said David, "Here we are, dressed up to the nines enjoying a buffet in the cafeteria."

"We're not the only ones." said JJ, noting several other formally dressed couples dotted around the restaurant.

Shortly before seven o'clock, David, Sonia, JJ and Grace left for the coach which would take them into St Petersburg, leaving Edward and Celia in the restaurant as their evening trip didn't start until a quarter past seven.

This was their first sight of the centre of the city in the gathering dusk. Grace was impressed by the architecture and views of the River Neva as they crossed it. On the way to the theatre, the guide pointed out some of the notable sights on the way.

Because they had all booked at different times, although they were a tour group, they were all in different parts of the theatre. As the guide issued the tickets, he also briefed on them on where to gather after the performance. Fortuitously, and much to the delight of Grace, she, David, Sonia and JJ were allocated a box in the third balcony. As they entered the theatre, Grace's eyes opened wide. Her jaw dropped. She was overwhelmed by the beauty of the theatre.

"It's so big." said Grace, "And so luxurious, especially in this box. It almost makes us feel important."

"It is nice." said JJ, grinning, as he sat down next to Grace, "You can live out some more of your 'War and Peace' fantasies. I'll have to be careful not to call you Natásha."

Grace smiled as she realised that JJ was in tune with her thoughts.

"I don't think you'll forget my name." said Grace, "I sense that I'm too close to you for that to happen. It looks as if the orchestra has arrived, so things are about to start."

The conductor took his place. The prelude started with its wistful oboe solo. The music gradually gathered pace. The curtains opened to reveal the park setting for the first act. Grace's expression was one of tranquil ecstasy. This was the first time she had experienced a live ballet performance for over a year. JJ noted this, smiled, put his arm across her bare shoulders and gave her a brief affectionate cuddle. There is not a lot of high drama in the first scene of 'Swan Lake', so JJ and Grace felt free to enjoy the light hearted atmosphere and the athleticism of the principal dancers. This being the Mariinsky's three act presentation of the ballet, at the end of this scene, the stage emptied, the lighting dimmed and the background changed from the castle to a lake. Prince Siegfried was alone on the stage. Seven swans passed, making JJ think momentarily about the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. This, of course, as anyone familiar with 'Swan Lake' will know, is where he meets Odette for the first time - and falls instantly in love with her. Grace was smiling serenely throughout most of the scene. JJ particularly enjoyed the pas de deux. He had heard the music before, but now realised that two of the principals in the orchestra were also having their own pas de deux, the solo cello representing Siegfried and the solo violin, Odette. Finally, the two lovers had to part as Odette, together with all the other girls was compelled to turn back into a swan under the spell of the evil sorcerer Baron con Rothbart. The curtains closed for the first interval.

"Did you like that?" asked Grace.

"I did." said JJ, "It's the very first time I've seen a live ballet performance. You really do have to concentrate on the gestures and expressions of the performers. I suppose, for me, that's quite a useful exercise."

"The last time I saw 'Swan Lake'," said Grace, "What you have just seen was the first two acts, with an interval after the first scene, which was set in a grand room in the castle. The second act was set, as here, by the lakeside. It seems the Russians do it differently."

"I think you'll find that's not the only difference." said JJ, "I won't give anything away, but I've already mentioned the ending."

"If you've never been to a ballet performance before," said Grace, "How do you know all this?"

"I've seen ballet on television and on DVD," said JJ, "So I'm familiar with a number of ballets. Also, when I knew that there was a possibility of coming here on this cruise, I read about the different versions of 'Swan Lake', so I wasn't surprised that the Mariinsky company had concatinated the first two acts.

After a few more minutes of quiet relaxation, the curtains opened for the second act. This was set in the grand ballroom of Siegfried's castle. At this, his coming-of-age ball, he had to choose which of six chosen princesses he was to marry. Grace was looking quite serious as she could feel his dilemma. He was totally and irrevocably in love with the swan maiden Odette. JJ was watching Grace's expression almost as closely as he was observing the action on stage. Right on cue, Baron Rothbart appeared with a girl dressed in black, his own daughter Odile, who in all other respects was identical to Odette. In fact, she was danced by the same ballerina. Grace, who was almost living the plot was looking worried. As prince Siegfried fell for the deception, JJ put his arm across her shoulders to reassure her. As the 'black swan ' scene concluded with the vision of the real Odette, he could feel her shoulders shaking as she started sobbing. As the curtains closed, JJ caressed Grace's shoulder and gently held her until her sobs started to subside.

A tearful "He's betrayed her." was all that JJ could get out of Grace for a few moments. He continued to hold her gently until she was able to speak with some coherence.

"Do you feel better now?" asked JJ, as Grace seemed to recover, "I know that last part upset you."

"Yes, I'll be okay in a minute." said Grace, "It was so sweet of you to gently hold me like that. It was nice to be held by someone who obviously cares about me. I hope you're right about the ending, otherwise you'll have to do it all over again."

"I believe I am right, but you'll have to wait until the very end for the resolution." said JJ, "I'm basing this on a video this company made in 1990, when it was still the Leningrad Kirov ballet. I don't think the Mariinsky have made many changes."

By the start of the final act, Grace had completely recovered her composure and felt ready for anything. The group settled back in their seats. The curtains opened on the final act. The scene was once again the lakeside. The corps de ballet were all on stage playing the part of the many swanmaidens kept in thrall by von Rothbart. Prince Siegfried arrived, distraught, looking for Odette in the hope of making things right with her. As he found and danced with her, Grace smiled. However, every silver lining has a cloud. Baron von Rothbart entered with a number of swanmaidens in black tutus.

"The Australians have arrived." JJ whispered into Grace's ear, momentarily dissolving her melancholy expression.

She smiled, but was sad again as it became obvious that Odette was dying. The act proceeded and it was looking bad for Prince Siegfried and Odette. Grace looked as if she was about to burst into tears again. Almost on the final curtain, Siegfried overpowered Rothbart, tore off one of his wings and thus killed him. With his death, his spell was broken, Odette revived and the other swanmaidens remained in their human form. As the ballet ended, Prince Siegfried and Odette were united in love. Grace turned to JJ, warmly embraced and kissed him.

"You were right." said Grace, relieved, "It was a happy ending, but the tension was held right up to the finish. I loved that version. I'm so glad we came here. I wonder if your folks enjoyed their show as much?"

"We'll find out soon enough." said David, "They should be waiting for us in Scott's bar."

With this, David, Sonia, Grace and JJ vacated the box and joined the other theatregoers in the foyer. Once the guide had carried out a headcount, everyone boarded the coach.

"Thank you." said Grace, as she sat next to JJ.

"What for?" asked JJ.

"Looking after me at the end of the second act." said Grace, "I know it was only a story, but I could sense that you felt my pain. Also, I appreciate the way you attempted to lighten things in the last act when the black swans danced onto the stage. I was beginning to feel really sad for Siegfried and Odette at that point. You relieved the gloom, but why Australians?"

"I don't know how," said JJ, "But I could sense how you were feeling right through the ballet. Regarding Australians, that's where the swans are black."

"Oh, yes, I remember now," said Grace, "Daddy told me that Sir Winston Churchill used to keep some Australian black swans at Chartwell. I'm not sure whether I'd like to see a real black swan. I think it might look a bit evil."

As previously arranged, once they reboarded the ship, they met Edward and Celia in Scott's bar. Since the ballet had ended early, they were not far behind JJ's parents.

"How was the folklore show?" asked David.

"Very entertaining." said Edward, "There was a lot of Russian dancing and all the usual songs; 'Kalinka', the Volga Boatmen etcetera. It was very colourful. How was the ballet?"

"Excellent!" said David, "It was very emotional. Poor Grace was in tears at one point. I must say your Jeremiah made a wonderful job of consoling her. I didn't realise he had it in him to be so gentle and sympathetic."

"Nor did I." commented JJ, as he got up to dance with Grace, "The odd thing is, I could sense what she was feeling right through the performance. I somehow knew she'd cry at the end of the 'Black Swan' scene and I was ready for it. Anyway, Gracie, let's dance."

As JJ and Grace danced, David expressed his thoughts about their newly found friendship.

"When my daughter first met your son," said David, "I was, to a certain extent, against the liaison, but now, I don't think I have reservations any more. I'm amazed that it's happened, but there does really seem to be a psychic connection between them. Grace seems to have put Jeremiah onto an even keel, while he seems to know instinctively what she's feeling. It was wonderful to watch them together at the ballet. As I've said before, they do seem to be completely in tune with each other."

"Well," began Edward, "Jeremiah has been a completely different young man since he met your Grace. He's more helpful, more relaxed and seems to be in control of his emotions, although he did seem very excited when he was getting ready for this evening. I suppose it was the prospect of spending a whole evening with Grace, which doesn't appear to have ended yet. Look at those two. They do seem to be a really close couple."

Shortly after this comment, the DJ, presumably to reduce the number of dancers, played something which would not normally be heard at a dance, the Waltz No.2 from Shostakovich's Jazz suite. Since Grace was excercising some of her 'War and Peace' fantasies, she danced to this very Russian waltz with JJ as if this was quite normal. They imagined themselves to be dancing in the grand ballroom of a Russian palace. After indulging their fantasies, they continued dancing until the DJ finished at about midnight.

"You danced brilliantly to that waltz." said Grace, "When did you learn to dance so well?"

"My parents thought it might be a good idea a couple of years ago." said JJ.

"Well," said Grace, "It certainly came in useful tonight. Thank you so much for letting me indulge my fantasy."

"Mine as well." said JJ, "I nearly did call you Natásha."

"And I would have accepted it." said Grace, "I'd totally lost myself in the early nineteenth century in my imagination."

Reluctantly, once they had reached their cabins, they said goodbye for the night. It had been a long day, but one in which it came home to both of them what they had become to mean to each other. The best thing was that all four of their parents approved of their friendship. There was also the realisation of what 'Amor Vincit Omnia' really meant. They had both embraced an all conquering love for each other while in Russia.


	9. Chapter 9: The Wonder of St Petersburg

**Chapter 9: The Wonders of St Petersburg**

Both JJ and Grace woke up wondering whether this day would be an anti-climax after the previous day's morning opulence, afternoon private declarations of love and the evening drama. The day started well with the early morning sun shining out of a clear blue sky. Breakfast had to be swift as the start of the excursion was even earlier; half past seven. Accordingly, it was eaten in Marco's. After yesterday's indulgence in full fried breakfasts, they opted for 'continental' meals with fruit, cereals, cheese and cold meats. This was both less filling and a lot quicker. In any case, their tour today included a 'Russian' lunch on the way back from the first visit.

Once again, the tour started with the coach driving South out of the city. For the benefit of those who had not been with him on the previous day's visit to Peterhof, the guide explained the naval gun turrets and described the Second World War siege of Leningrad. Their first call was the Catherine Palace, another of the great palaces built by Peter the Great outside the city. When they reached the palace, the guide pointed out the statue of Alexander Pushkin in the palace grounds. He mentioned that 'Alexander Pushkin' was the original name of their ship when she was first commissioned in 1965.

"It was Alexander Pushkin whose works inspired at least two operas." said JJ, "Moussorgsky's 'Boris Godunov' and Tschaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin'."

"I love both of those." said Grace, " Some or Moussorgsky's 'Godunov' music is really inspiring. Of course it, in turn, was inspired by the majesty of Russian Orthodox liturgy."

"You two certainly seem to be talking the same language." remarked David, "You are so in tune with each other. It's wonderful to see."

"I know." said JJ, "For a change, I actually feel that I'm living rather than just existing. It's a satisfying feeling."

At this point, Grace noticed the five golden onion domes over the chapel.

"Those domes are so beautiful." she said.

"They'll look even better from the other side." said JJ, "If it stays clear when we are in the gardens, the sun will be on them."

JJ wondered how they were kept so clean. Once they reached the interior, Grace was once again imagining herself to be in one of the grand Moscow palaces featured in Tolstoy's 'War and Peace', while JJ noted the big blue and white ceramic stoves used for heating in each room. The great hall didn't disappoint. JJ and Grace briefly held each other in a 'ballroom' position and executed a few steps, smiling to each other, as they passed through. When they emerged from the South front of the palace, Grace gasped as she appreciated the 100-metre-long pale blue and white frontage of the building with the Romanov flag flying at its centre. From this viewpoint, the golden domes over the chapel looked spectacular, sunlit against an intensely blue sky.

"This is all so beautiful!" said Grace, beaming, "Thank you for bringing me here, daddy. This place is heavenly."

"When I booked this cruise," said David, "I somehow knew you'd love St Petersburg. The city has come through seventy years of darkness to become the jewel in the Russian crown, well, one of them anyway. I was almost forgetting Moscow."

After they had enjoyed the ambience of the Catherine Palace, the coach took them to a restaurant, where they had a 'Russian' lunch. Suitably fortified, they were taken on a guided tour of central St Petersburg including a number of photo stops. The red brick Admiralty columns and their use as lighthouses was explained. After this, the coach disgorged its passengers outside the Winter Palace, otherwise known as the Hermitage Museum. The tour group spent the next two and a half hours briefly exploring this vast art gallery and the many artworks on display. When they entered one of the grander rooms, Grace looked down at the inlaid wood floor.

"These floors are amazing." she said, "I'm surprised we're allowed to walk on them, but I can imagine dancing on this one."

"It would be rather difficult to get around without stepping on them." said JJ, "I don't know whether you've noticed, but a lot of the wood floors are like this."

They emerged from the Hermitage, by the rear entrance into the open square behind it. Grace wondered at the memorial column at its centre, which was similar to, but a bit thinner than the Siegessäule in Berlin, which they had seen a few days previously.

"I've visited a few cities in the past," said Grace, "But it would be hard to outdo this one. There's so much to see, and so many beautiful buildings. Two days isn't long enough to see even a small part of it."

"That's true." said David, "It would take more than a week to just see part of the Hermitage."

"I think we'd have a similar problem with the Metropolitan Museum in New York." said JJ, "I'm told it would take several weeks to see all of that. Having said that, I can't think it would be such a beautiful building as this one."

After this, they visited the church of St Nicholas, with its golden dome and stained glass windows. The final two photo stops were to the Church of the Spilled Blood, which bears more than a passing resemblance to St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, and the Peter and Paul fortress, where the cathedral had a very tall slender golden spire,and was one of St Petersburg's landmarks.

"So many canals." said JJ, when they were near the Church of the Spilled Blood, "Amsterdam must be a bit like this."

"Yes," said David, "One excursion we could have booked was to this church and a cruise on the waterways. That would have been quite interesting, but as you said, two days isn't enough time to see everything."

"It's a pity this place has been so hard to visit." said Grace, "I think it could have been one of the world's major tourist destinations."

"Yes!" said JJ, "'Uncle' Joe Stalin has a lot to answer for, keeping wonders like this hidden from the West for decades. Incidentally, did you see some of the antics of the wedding photographers? One of them was laying in the middle of a busy main road, taking pictures of the happy couple, who were also standing in the middle of the road."

"Yes, I did." said Grace, "I wonder if any couples ever get hit by traffic."

"That could make for a very short marriage." said David.

As they got off the coach for their final stop, Grace looked up at the cathedral spire and had an expression of wonder on her face.

"That's the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul." said the guide, "It's built on an island in the River Neva. The island itself is a fortress. When it was built, this church was the tallest building in St Petersburg at 404 feet to the top of the spire. For the benefit of anyone from England, that's the same height as Salisbury Cathedral. Right on top, if you can make it out, is an angel holding a cross."

"So St Petersburg has something in common with Bristol." said JJ.

"How come?" asked Grace.

"The Catholic cathedral in Clifton is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul." said JJ.

"I'd temporarily forgotten that." said Grace.

The guide continued at some length explaining the history of the cathedral and the fortress. The group briefly visited the tsars' tombs on the ground floor of the building before boarding the coach for the return journey to the ship. This was uneventful. Although they had enjoyed a wonderful day, JJ and Grace were feeling a little down as they felt that nothing in the remaining part of the cruise would match what they had experienced in the last two days. They returned to their cabins. JJ consulted the daily diary sheet and was pleased to note that the show was to be an evening of Russian singing and dancing. Their experience of Russia was to last a little longer. Before the show, the two families elected to dine in the Waldorf restaurant as they had just had a heavy day of sightseeing. The steak with french fries went down very well as did the potato and onion soup that preceded it. Unusually everyone chose the same starter and main, but the desserts differed. As they made their way up to the lounge for the show, David remarked to Edward that he could have come to the ballet as the folklore show had come to the ship. While they had been dining, the ship had cast off and left St Petersburg. They were now on a leisurely overnight voyage to Helsinki. The Russian singing and dancing show didn't disappoint. It was, in fact the same company that had given the evening show in the city the previous night.

As they left the lounge, intending as usual, to go up to Scott's bar for the remainder of the evening, they were diverted by the sound of a pedal steel guitar playing in 'the Captain's Club' bar. Naturally, they went in and sat down. The country rock group playing there proved to be very good. They played a lot of JJ's favourite songs from his New Riders of the Purple Sage albums. It wasn't long before JJ and Grace were up and dancing. It was clear from JJ's expression that he was in seventh heaven. Well! Why not? He was dancing to his favourite type of music with the most wonderful girl He had ever met.

"These sound quite upbeat songs, and they are good for dancing," said Grace, "But so many of them seem to be about relationships breaking up. I wonder why."

"That's the nature of country music." said JJ, "Some of ABBA's very best songs were about the loss of love. 'Knowing you Knowing Me' and 'The Winner Takes All' are prime examples."

"Point taken." said Grace. "I do so love the sound of that pedal steel. It's so expressive."

At this point, as if to disprove Grace's comment, the group played 'Louisiana Lady', which was an upbeat, happy song about the subject's love for a girl from that state.

At the end of the evening, David commented, "We seem to have ended our visit to Russia on a very American note. I wonder if that band are resident. I haven't heard them before. They were good."

"I think we all enjoyed them." said JJ, "I even saw dad's toes tapping, and that's a very rare occurrence."

"Well!" said Celia, "This cruise seems to have brought him to life. Isn't that so, Edward?"

"I certainly feel more alive than I have for some time." said Edward, "Jeremiah coming out of his shell has made me feel a lot better. I would never have believed that meeting a girl would have such a positive effect on him."

"She's such a special girl." commented JJ, "I know it's only been a few days, but she's penetrated all my defences and got under my skin, haven't you, Grace?"

"It's you who say that, but yes, I think I have." said Grace, "But you've got right through to me as well."

"You two, both of you, are being very open about your feelings for each other." said David.

"What other way is there to be?" said JJ, rhetorically, "We feel so strongly for each other, that there's no point in concealing it. In any case, I'm not a very good liar, so I might as well admit it. I'm rapidly falling in love with your daughter. I've never really thought about my 'ideal' girl, but Grace seems to be that person."

"Wow!" exclaimed David, "Grace, do you feel the same way about Jeremiah?"

"Of course!" said Grace, "He's gentle, considerate and thoughtful. I don't think he has it in him to hurt anyone. In spite of his potential problems, I love him and everything about him."

JJ was blushing scarlet by this time. He still wasn't used to being talked about in such a fulsome way. By this time they had nearly reached their cabins

"Our excursion to Helsinki doesn't begin until a quarter past nine." said David, "I suggest we have a leisurely breakfast in the Waldorf."

"That's okay with us." said Edward, "We'll be ready at eight."

In spite of the absence of an evening excursion, and the fact that it was not yet midnight, Grace and JJ had experienced an even longer day than the previous one. By now, they were both ready for bed, as indeed were their parents. All six people enjoyed a satisfying sleep.

There was a slightly 'down' feeling in the group as they felt that nothing that they were to see for the rest of the cruise would compare with St Petersburg and the ballet. However, they were in for a surprise in a few days time.


	10. Chapter 10: Helsinki and Ecstasy

**hapter 10: Helsinki and Ecstasy**

Although eight o'clock was the proposed meeting time, everyone was up and about before half past seven to watch the ship docking at Helsinki. As they emerged from below decks, it was clear that this was to be a sunny, but quite cold day. Unusually, they observed the docking activities from the pool deck, before making their way along the next deck up towards the bow of the ship. By the time they reached the forward lift lobby, it was time for breakfast. This time, as they had an hour available, they enjoyed full fried breakfasts. Grace, this time located the black pudding and all the rest of the components that make up a 'Full Monty'.

"We'll have to expend a lot of energy when we return to Bristol." said Grace, as the little group left the restaurant for the designated meeting place for their excursion, "I'm sure I've put on some weight during the cruise. After all, we've been having three good meals every day. Against that, we haven't been snacking between them."

"That's true." said JJ, "Although we have been doing a lot of walking every day. We've also been dancing nearly every evening."

They left the ship and boarded a coach for the very short journey to the jetty where their tour boat was waiting. During the 90-minute cruise, the guide pointed out places of interest around the archipelago. He also mentioned the icebreakers that were in their Summer parking places. He also mentioned in passing that the Marco Polo had reinforced bows and was able to power through up to six inches of sea ice.

"It would appear to be quite a versatile ship." said JJ, "But I suppose that was necessary for a ship based in what used to be Leningrad."

"Yes," said David, "These waters must freeze up for at least some of the Winter."

"Hence the icebreakers." said JJ.

Their archepelago cruise over, the boat returned to the jetty. Surprisingly, the sky was still cloudless. The rest of Helsinki didn't disappoint. Grace was particularly impressed by one of the main squares with the cathedral at the top of a flight of steps. Their final visit before returning to ship was to the Sibelius Park, where there was a conspicuous memorial to Finland's most famous composer. It comprised a stainless steel head of the composer and about a thousand pipes.

"When you played me some of your classical collection," said Grace, "You didn't play anything by Sibelius. Why was that?"

"There wasn't enough time for me to play everything." said JJ, "Perhaps I can rectify that if we have another session. The very first classical piece I ever remember hearing was by him. I learned later that it was called 'En Saga'."

"That's quite an unusual piece to have as your first memory." said Grace, "I would have thought you'd have remembered something like a Strauss waltz, or 'Land of Hope and Glory'. What was so memorable about it?"

"I suppose, the way he used repeated phrases, ostinato rhythms and pedal points." said JJ, "I suppose the repetition just got into my brain."

"A bit like 'Tubular Bells'?" queried Grace.

"Yes, I suppose so." said JJ, "Mike Oldfield did exactly the same kind of thing. I guess that's what made that album so riveting. Once it starts, you have to listen right to the end."

After they had spent a little more time contemplating the Sibelius memorial, the coach returned them to the ship in time for a latish buffet lunch in Marco's restaurant and the afternoon's continuation of the series of 'drugs' talks.

The afternoon's talk covered the history of amphetamines and other stimulants. It was titled "From Benzedrine to Ecstasy and Beyond". The speaker, after mentioning that this family of drugs was discovered in 1887, went on at some length about the medical effects and the conditions it was used to treat. JJ was quite surprised to learn that a stimulant would be used to treat ADHD in children. He did, however, stress that the doses used pharmaceutically were lower than those taken by recreational users but this was fairly normal. Once he had covered the medicinal uses of the basic range of amphetamines, he went on to outline the history of 'recreational' use of these drugs. He mentioned the use of pills known as 'Purple Hearts ', which were neither purple nor heart shaped. They were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The speaker pointed out that the main character in the film 'Quadrophenia' took them and suffered a psychotic attack as a consequence. The talk continued with a history of the use of MDMA firstly for medical purposes, then as 'Ecstasy', a recreational drug. The speaker went on to mention that Ecstasy often contained other stimulants other than MDMA. Since it was an illegal drug and only available from criminal sources, it was frequently cut with other even more toxic substances. Some deaths have ensued as a result. The talk ended with a discussion about crystal meth and other more recent developments. The point was made very strongly that drugs that were made illegal were then controlled by the criminal fraternity, who had little regard for the safety of their 'customers'. JJ was particularly interested in this talk as several of his peers at Roundview, including Effy, had used Ecstasy and some of its variants, He himself had been prescribed amphetamines from time to time. The speaker concluded by mentioning that the next talk would be about opium and its many derivatives including heroin.

"That was enlightening." said JJ, as they left the lounge where the talk had taken place, "I didn't realise that MDMA had been around for so long, or that it had pharmaceutical uses, but I guess most amphetamines had clinical origins."

"Yes," said David, "I was surprised at the complaints they were prescribed for. The next talk should be interesting because it covers a family of drugs, one of which is available over any pharmacy counter."

"And one that's been in use for 7,000 years." said JJ, "Did you know that people used to chew willow bark to ease a headache?"

"I guess it contains salicylic acid." said David. "Derived from the scientific name, Salix, for the willow family."

After a stroll round the deck, during which they discussed the lecture they had just heard, David, Sonia, Grace, Edward, Celia and JJ adjourned to the Captain's Club for a pre-dinner drink. JJ suddenly had a thought about the late evening.

"If this clear weather lasts for another few hours," said JJ, "Would you like to see another part of the night sky after the show?"

"Of course!" said Grace, "That would be so lovely for two reasons."

"Two?" queried JJ, "What are they?"

"Firstly, you said there would be more bright stars." said Grace, smiling, "Also, don't blush, I like spending time alone with you."

"It's a date then." said JJ, "We'll have to wrap up warm, though, it's going to get quite cold this evening."

"In that case, we can snuggle up close, then." said Grace, smiling and winking at JJ.

"That would be nice." said JJ.

Since, for a change, time was not of the essence, they could enjoy a leisurely, waiter service dinner in the Waldorf restaurant. One of the items on the main menu was a lamb curry with fried rice. David remarked that this was unusual, JJ and Grace ordered this and liked it. While it wasn't as good as a genuine Indian restaurant curry, it was still quite good.

"I don't think this quite matches The Raj," said Grace, "But it makes a change from the usual 'English' fare."

"It does." said JJ, "I was in the mood for something spicy."

"I know." said Grace, "I still seem to be able to read your thoughts."

After the dinner, the 'Captain's Club' bar was the venue for after-dinner drinks. JJ and Grace had lagers, while the parents enjoyed various spirits. Since other versions of this cruise had Stockholm as their next port of call, this night's show was a second ABBA evening. It featured some of the well known songs from 'Mamma Mia not included in the previous show as well as a number of lesser known songs from the group's albums.

"ABBA certainly played a wide variety of music." said David, "Quite a few of those songs were new to me. Everyone knows the songs in 'Mamma Mia', but some of their album tracks are almost unknown. The other wonderful thing about ABBA was that every song was different."

After this, the parents made their way to Scott's bar, while Grace and JJ called at their cabins to obtain some warmer clothing. After this, as they had arranged, they headed to the open deck ahead of the bridge.

"You were right." said Grace, "There are a lot more bright stars in this part of the sky."

"Yes." said JJ, "You can see the 'Summer Triangle' now we're sailing Westwards."

"I can see it's a triangle," said Grace, "But why is it called the 'Summer Triangle'. It's Autumn now and it's still high in the sky."

"I believe it was an astronomer who hosted the 'Sky at Night' television programme who called it that." said JJ, "His name was Patrick Moore. Anyway, which of the three stars do you think is the brightest?"

"You're going to tell me I'm wrong," said Grace, "But I think it would be the top right one."

"You are wrong." said JJ, "That one is Vega. It's only twenty-five light years away. The brightest one is Deneb. But it's over two thousand light years away. It's nearly 200,000 times as bright as the sun. Imagine someone shining an ordinary torch from the bow of the ship. Now imagine a searchlight being trained on us from a ship some miles away. The torch would appear brighter. Vega is only forty times as bright as the sun. The third star, at the bottom of the triangle, Altair, is the closest at only sixteen light years away and only ten times as bright as the sun."

"What's that faint mist of light crossing the whole sky?" asked Grace, "I noticed it the last time we were out here at night, but it's a lot brighter in this part of the sky."

"As I mentioned then, that's our own galaxy, the Milky Way." said JJ, "It's brighter in this direction because we're looking more towards the centre. As I mentioned the other night, it's not possible to see the centre from this far North. The closest we can see to the middle of the galaxy is in the South West, over there where the Milky Way reaches the horizon. From this far north, it doesn't seem very bright because there's a lot of atmosphere to look through. Also there's a lot of dust and other opaque matter between the Solar System and the galactic centre. It's a very clear night, so we're seeing it as well as we can. The best place to see towards the centre of the Galaxy is in the middle of Australia, somewhere near Alice Springs, but well away from any lighting. I'd like to go there again sometime. I went there some time ago with mum and dad, but it was December, and the galactic centre was too close to the position of the sun."

"You said it was the light from millions and millions of stars." said Grace, "How many stars are there in our Galaxy?"

"About a hundred billion." said JJ, "They are all different sizes and colours. There are also about a hundred billion galaxies in the known universe."

"That makes us feel very insignificant." said Grace, "Anyway, the cold is beginning to get to me."

"Let's snuggle then." said JJ, wrapping his arms round Grace, and kissing her cheek.

"That felt so good." said Grace, "You're being very affectionate tonight. Incidentally, what is that bright orange 'star' that isn't twinkling?"

"That's the planet Mars." said JJ, "At present, it's just past opposition and, I would guess, just over 50 million miles away. It's only half the size of the Earth and consists almost entirely of desert. It's also quite cold. It doesn't twinkle because it appears larger than the stars. In fact, if you look at it through a telescope it would appear as a disc rather than a point of light."

The couple spent about another half hour contemplating the night sky before going down to Scott's bar to warm up and have a late night drink.

"Hello!" said Edward, "What have you two been up to out on deck?"

"We haven't been 'up to' anything." said Grace, "JJ's been telling me about the Milky Way and the different distances and brightnesses of the stars. He seems to know a lot for someone who isn't an astronomer."

"Did he tell you about the 'Sounds of Silence' dinner?" asked Edward.

"Yes, he did." said Grace, "He says he'd like to go there again, this time in the Australian Winter, so that the centre of the Galaxy is above the horizon at night."

"We'll have to think about that one." said Edward, "I know he loves the night sky, and there's a lot of it you can't see from the UK."

JJ and Grace shed their outdoor clothes and spent the rest of the evening dancing to the music played by the DJ. This time, he didn't play either a Russian waltz or 'Follow You, Follow Me'. After this, at about midnight, they adjourned to their cabins and enjoyed a deep and satisfying night's sleep.


	11. Chapter 11: A Day at Sea

**Chapter 11: A Day at Sea**

The next day was spent sailing from somewhere West of Helsinki towards the straits between Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia. The final mainland European port of call was to be Aarhus on the Eastern coast of the mainland of Denmark. After the clear conditions before midnight, a layer of cloud had obscured the sun and promised rain later in the day. In fact, the forecast was for a period of heavy rain in the evening and overnight. Hopefully, the sun would shine on the visit to the Danish city of Aarhus, the next day.

After the activities of the previous three days, both pairs of parents were looking forward to a peaceful, relaxing day on board, much of it spent either in the cabins or in one of the several bars around the ship. JJ and Grace, however, had other ideas. The only 'fixtures' were the briefing on Aarhus and Ireland in the morning and the talk about opium and its derivatives in the afternoon. All three main meals would be enjoyed in the Waldorf restaurant as time was not a driving factor. In any case, the atmosphere was more relaxed in the Waldorf. In Marco's, the incentive was to collect food, find a table, eat, and move on. Also, David felt that he needed to discuss the rapidly developing close relationship forming between Grace and JJ with Edward. He felt that this would be better done either over a leisurely meal, or over drinks in the pleasant atmosphere of a bar.

As they had been getting up early on the previous three days, they were in the habit of rising early. Accordingly, everyone was up and ready for Breakfast before eight o'clock. Since there were few activities planned, the group enjoyed omelettes with various fillings, but with few other 'extras'. They did, of course, have cereals and coffee. Between breakfast and the Aarhus talk, there was time for a stroll around the decks. JJ explained the statue of Rudolf Nureyev to David and said how much he was looking forward to the visit to Cobh in a few days time. Grace looked on, smiling, as she was pleased with the friendly relationship developing between JJ and her father. With their wide knowledge of different subjects, it was obvious that they were 'talking the same language'. Although it was David who wanted to initiate the discussion, it fell to Sonia to find out a little more about the intensifying relationship between her daughter and JJ.

"Well, Gracie," said Sonia, as they all reached the open space ahead of the ship's bridge, "How are you feeling now we're coming towards the end of this cruise?"

"Really, so happy." said Grace, "Thank you for such a wonderful holiday."

"I guess meeting Jeremiah helped?" added Sonia.

"Yes," said Grace, "I'm surprised how he's affected me. I feel relaxed and happy when he's around me. Being alone with him seems so natural. It's almost as if we were fated to find each other."

"What about you, Jeremiah?" asked Sonia.

"I don't know whether I dare say this," said JJ, "But I think your Grace is exactly the kind of person I needed to meet. When she first encountered me, I was feeling so uneasy, so stressed. Although I was enjoying the new experience of a cruise, emotionally, I was almost at breaking point. When I heard her voice and looked into her eyes, I felt a wave of complete tranquillity wash over me. I don't know how she does it. She's a totally wonderful person. Yes, I will say it. I'm falling in love with her."

"Thank you, Jeremiah." said Sonia, "I believe you've just told me what we've both realised. I know from talking to your parents that she's had a dramatic effect on you. Don't blush when I tell you that you've had almost as major an effect on Grace's attitude to life. She's happier than I've ever seen her, and it's all due to you."

"I'm flattered." said JJ, "I knew Grace was happy, but I assumed that was her normal state."

"Far from it." said Sonia, "When we embarked on this cruise, she was deeply depressed. We couldn't even get her to smile. However, when she returned to the cabin at the end of the first morning, it was obvious that something really nice had happened to her. She was beaming. I hadn't seen her so happy for a very long time."

"I didn't realise I could have such an effect on anyone." said JJ, "All we did that morning was told each other our stories. The fact that she knew who I was did help, I suppose."

David was listening to this conversation with some interest as he wanted to find out whether JJ's feelings for Grace were genuine. It was clear from his expression that he was satisfied with JJ's honest answers to Sonia's questions.

"Well, Jeremiah," said David, "Not many boys would have been so open about their feelings, but you've been completely honest. I like that. Anyway, it's getting on for ten o'clock. We'd better be making our way below decks if we want to learn more about Aarhus."

With this, the group made their way to the Marco Polo lounge for the talk about the final two destinations on this particular cruise. Once the audience had settled, the guide explained that Aarhius was a relatively new destination for this particular cruise line. Since the visit was only for four hours, only three excursions had been arranged. He appreciated that, since only one of them was a tour in the normal sense of the word, most bookings had been for the Aarhus highlights. He went on to describe the Aarhus on foot and the Aarhus biking tours. Celia and Edward had booked the Aarhus highlights, but JJ had persuaded them to cancel his place on the tour as he wanted to spend the time with Grace and her parents on the Aarhus on foot guided walk. The different spellings of the city's name were explained including the fact that within Denmark it was still rendered as "Århus". he also mentioned that the name of the city was pronounced "Orhus" due to the effect of the 'Å', or the 'Aa' in the international spelling. Once he had dealt with Aarhus, he went on to outline the shore excursions available on the final port of call, Cobh in Ireland. Again, there were only three trips on offer, two of which visited the city of Cork. No-one in either family had yet booked an excursion for this day, so what the guide told them was useful information. Having gleaned the details of each of the three tours, the two men, David and Edward, opted for the "Cork highlights and old Jameson distillery" tour, while JJ himself chose to join Grace, Sonia and Celia on the "Panoramic Cork and Blarney Castle" trip. Grace did remark that JJ didn't really need to kiss the Blarney Stone as, once he started talking, it was hard to stop him. He responded by saying that getting started had always been his problem.

The next call was to the excursion desk to change the Aarhus bookings and to reserve places on the two Cobh tours. This process went smoothly. No-one was more pleased than JJ and Grace, who would now be spending even more time together. The young couple held hands as they accompanied their parents to the 'Captain's Club' bar. Once they had settled, David ordered a round of aperitif sherries and proposed a toast.

"Let's drink to young love!" said David, as everyone raised their glasses.

Everyone clinked glasses, although JJ and Grace were a little embarrassed by David's actions. After this, the six people settled down to enjoy their pre-lunch drinks. The main subject for discussion was the forthcoming lecture on drugs. JJ remembered the first of the series and conjectured that some of the same ground would be repeated. He mentioned that opium was probably the oldest narcotic in existence.

On the way to the Waldorf restaurant, Grace had a question.

"Daddy," she said, "What on earth inspired you to propose that toast just now? I found it just a little embarrassing."

"Sorry if I embarrassed you," said David, "But you two seem so comfortable and natural together, that I can see your relationship lasting a long time."

"Thank you." said Grace, "I have the same feeling, don't I, JJ."

Grace kissed JJ's cheek and, once again held his hand.

"You certainly do." said JJ, "I think we've found the perfect partner, for each other, and I truly believe we're in love. Long may it last!"

Grace smiled and nodded assent.

When they reached the dining room, JJ and Grace sat next to each other. David consulted the wine list, ordered a bottle of claret and filled all six glasses. Once again, JJ and Grace selected the same starter, a thick, creamy mushroom soup. They followed this by ordering the roast pork with stuffing, apple sauce and all the trimmings. JJ looked very contented. It was washed down with the claret.

"What are you thinking?" asked Grace.

"I'm just imagining us two being together in our own home and having this for our Sunday lunch." said JJ.

"You obviously feel quite at home with me." said Grace, "You also seem to be relishing the Brussels sprouts."

"I am." said JJ, "They cook them perfectly here. They're not bitter, and they've got just the right amount of texture. I suppose the quality of the sprouts themselves contributes a lot to the taste."

"Grace, you're a miracle worker!" commented Celia, "We've always had some difficulty getting Jeremiah to eat sprouts, although I must admit these do taste exceptionally good."

After the main course, everyone enjoyed the profiteroles, served with double cream. Since they still had plenty of time in hand they indulged in the cheeseboard and coffee before adjourning back to the 'Captain's Club' for their after-lunch drinks.

The lecture didn't disappoint. The subject of the talk was opium and all its more recent derivatives. As JJ had anticipated, the speaker did go over some of the ground covered in the first lecture, but, this time concentrating on opiates and opioids. He mentioned that people had been using the latex from opium poppies as a painkiller and as a mind-altering drug since at least as long ago as 5,000 BCE. He went on to mention again the writers, musicians and artists who had used opium or laudanum, particularly in the nineteenth century. The speaker also mentioned that laudanum was available widely as a patent medicine until the early twentieth century. 1906 was the year that the constituent parts of medicines had to be printed on the bottle labels. He said that, coincidentally this was the same year that Coca Cola removed cocaine from their beverage. The talk continued with references to morphine and codeine as painkillers still in use in the UK today. Codeine, he went on to say, was probably the only opioid drug generally available without prescription, usually in combination with other painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. After discussing the various derivatives of opium, he went on to mention their addictive properties and the 'recreational' use of heroin. The next talk, he said, would be about 'legal highs' and the 'catch-up' game the authorities were engaged in attempting to control them. He would also cover the unintended consequences of prohibition. The subject of cannabis would be covered in the final talk.

"Well, that was enlightening." said David, as they emerged from the lounge, "I suppose I've led a comparatively sheltered life, but I never realised that what we would now regard as narcotics were available over the counter as recently as the beginning of the last century. I need some fresh air after that. Let's have our pre-dinner drinks at the poolside bar."

With this, the little group made their way astern to the open air bar, where they occupied a table near the bronze statue of Rudolf Nureyev. Fortunately, the forecast rain had not yet materialised, although it was fairly overcast. They all enjoyed medium dry sherries. The discussions over the drinks were mainly about the lecture they had just attended.

"Of, course," said JJ, "What we're drinking now contained what was considered an illegal drug in the USA during the twenties. Our speaker could well touch on that in the next talk. If nicotine and alcohol were new drugs, they'd probably be class 'A'."

"If I remember my history," said David, "Prohibition of alcohol handed distribution and supply over to criminal gangs."

"Yes," said JJ, "That's why America in that decade was such a violent place. I think that was one of the unintended consequences of prohibition."

"Does anyone want a refill?" asked Edward, as a waiter approached their table.

Their glasses recharged, the discussions arising from the afternoon's lecture continued. David asked JJ what illicit drugs were in use in Roundview College in his AS year.

"Without telling tales on anyone," said JJ, "Obviously alcohol was one of them. That was illicit because some of us were under-age. A few people smoked skunk, but I don't recall anyone using cocaine in my two years at the college. I didn't dare indulge because of the many prescription drugs I already had to take."

"If you don't mind me asking," said David, "What is skunk?"

"It's a more powerful form of cannabis." said JJ, "It has a higher concentration of THC."

"What's that in English, rather than initials?" asked David.

"Tetrahydrocannabinol." said JJ.

David looked more puzzled.

"It's the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis." continued JJ, "Judging by what he said in an earlier talk, I think we're going to learn a lot about cannabis in the final talk."

Once their glasses were empty, the two small families made their way to the Waldorf restaurant for dinner. Having indulged in full breakfasts and a three course lunch, everyone chose salads with white wine. After dinner and before that evening's dance show, they adjourned to the 'Captain's Club' bar for after-dinner drinks. Outside, the rain had started. Edward and David had brandies while Celia and Sonia had port. JJ took the opportunity to introduce Grace to a particularly smooth single malt whisky from Islay. To his surprise and delight, she enjoyed it. In fact, she more than enjoyed it, she relished it.

"I have tried whisky before and didn't really like it," said Grace, "But this is different. It's so smooth, and I so like that smoky taste."

"That's a feature of several Islay whiskies." said JJ, "I sometimes get to wondering whether J K Rowling's 'firewhiskey' in Harry Potter was something like this. After all, 'There's no smoke without fire.'."

"That's a possibility." said Grace, "I wonder which 'muggle' drink was the basis for butterbeer?"

"Ginger beer, I suppose." said JJ, "I can't think of anything else at the moment. Some sweet, fizzy non-alcoholic drink anyway."

By the time they had finished the drinks, it was nearly time for the show, so they made their way to the Marco Polo lounge and found a group of six seats. JJ and Grace sat in the middle with their parents on either side. The show was a showpiece for various kinds of dance, including vigorous demonstrations of tango, samba and tap. The show ended with some Irish line dancing, which with tap shoes was quite noisy.

"I think we need to go somewhere quiet after that." said David, as they left the lounge, "Those Irish dancers had my ears singing."

As they emerged into the lobby between the lounge and the 'Captain's Club', the faint sounds of the pedal steel guitar could be heard from the bar.

"I think that decides where we'll spend the rest of the evening." said JJ, "I find country music relaxing."

"And danceable." added Grace.

JJ and Grace spent the remainder of the evening until midnight enjoying each other's company and dancing to the country rock selection being played in this particular bar. They were now completely relaxed with each other and believed they had a promising future as a couple. On the first part of the cruise, they had felt the affection growing between them. Now, after St Petersburg, it could be said that they had come from Russia with an all-embracing love for each other. As a result, JJ and Grace were changed people. Grace felt a deep and serene happiness that was a new experience for her. Meanwhile, JJ was at peace with himself and was not displaying any of the symptoms of his Asperger's syndrome. For the first time in his life, he felt comfortable in his own skin. Thus reassured about their feelings for each other, and their parents' approval of the relationship, JJ and Grace enjoyed a deep and refreshing night's sleep. All their worries were behind them and their minds were at peace. Their parents could also enjoy their sleep as they knew their children , against all odds, had found something they needed in each other.


	12. Chapter 12: Aarhus and Romance

**Chapter 12: Aarhus, Prohibition and a Romantic Evening**

During the night, the ship had entered the straits between Denmark and Sweden. They were now sailing Westwards towards their last but one port of call, Aarhus. Since their excursion didn't leave until half past nine, they had decided to have breakfast in the more relaxed surroundings of the Waldorf restaurant. Despite their late night, everyone was up early, so JJ and Grace came out on deck at about seven o'clock for some fresh air. During the early hours of the morning, the rain had cleared away Eastwards. The sun was shining intermittently from a clearing sky. The ship was sailing on a calm sea with land visible in several directions. Most of it was Denmark.

"Did you sleep well last night?" asked Grace.

"Like a log," said JJ, "Until my alarm went off. It actually woke me up for a change."

"Do you usually sleep through it then?" asked Grace.

"No, I'm usually wide awake before it sounds." said JJ, "But on this cruise, I'm sleeping really well, especially since meeting you."

"I guess that's because you're relaxed." said Grace, "I think mummy and daddy like you. You're quiet, polite and thoughtful. You speak the same language as them."

"Well," said JJ, "I do generally speak English."

Grace chuckled. Her eyes sparkled.

"I didn't mean it that way." said Grace, still smiling, "What I meant was that you're intelligent and can talk to my parents on their level. That's good. You even had daddy flummoxed yesterday."

"Was that when I mentioned THC?" queried JJ.

"Yes." said Grace, "You had to explain what it was."

"Well," said JJ, "I didn't expect him to know everything about everything. Nobody can do that. There are subjects where he certainly knows a lot more than me and I'm willing to admit my ignorance. Anyway, my folks seem to like you as well. They've seen how good you are for me."

"How come?" queried Grace.

"I don't know what it is about you," said JJ, "But since you encountered me on the pool deck, I've felt a kind of profound happiness and serenity I've never felt before, not even with Lara. I think you've changed me, just by being you."

"Wow!" exclaimed Grace, "I knew I had changed your mood, but I didn't think I had had such a deep effect on you. Anyway, JJ, Have you decided what to have for breakfast?"

"I think I'll have the 'full Monty'." said JJ, "Because I'm not sure what's going to happen for lunch. In any case, I find that a substantial breakfast sets me up for the day. They do say that you should breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper."

"Where did you get that from?" asked Grace.

"I think it was from some advice my mum got on losing weight," said JJ, "Which is something I'll probably have to do when I get home."

"I hope you can still get into your tux." said Grace, "Because I'd like you to wear it tonight."

"It's not a 'formal' dress evening, is it?" queried JJ, "That's tomorrow, after a day at sea."

"No, it isn't," said Grace, "But I've got a nice surprise for you."

"What is it?" asked JJ.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." said Grace, "Anyway, it's getting towards breakfast time, so we'd better be getting down to the cabins to meet our parents."

Grace and JJ descended to their respective cabins, met their parents and headed for the Waldorf restaurant, where they had a relaxing full English breakfast. Once this was finished, it was time for them to gather for their guided walk round Aarhus.

"This will help us walk off that breakfast." said David, as they gathered at the meeting point for the walk,"And help us generate an appetite for lunch."

The walk explored most of central Aarhus, taking in the twelfth century cathedral and the old town. The guide also mentioned several of the museums and galleries available to be visited in the city. She also mentioned that Aarhus was Denmark's second city after Copenhagen. The two families made the most of this excursion as there were two and a half days at sea before their feet found terra firma again in Ireland.

"This is very different from what I remember about Copenhagen." said JJ, "It looks, apart from the old town, a lot more modern."

"I suppose it developed into a city somewhat later." said David, "Earlier versions of this particular cruise had Stockholm as their last European mainland destination. The ships either sailed through the archipelago, or put the passengers on to tenders at a place called Nynäshamn, from where they were taken to the city by coach. The journey took about an hour and passed that big spherical auditorium, the Ericsson Globe, where Eurovision happened a few years ago. From what I've been told, it was quite an interesting visit."

What was special about it?" asked Grace.

"In short, the Vasa." said David, "That was a wooden ship, which sank in the 17th century. Because of the nature of the water in the Baltic, it was perfectly preserved, unlike the Mary Rose at Portsmouth. There's a museum devoted to it down by the harbour. I guess that, if we'd gone there, there would have been three consecutive 'at sea' days, although we would have spent part of the first one going through the Keil Canal."

A light lunch was consumed in Marco's restaurant, after which they attended the afternoon's drugs lecture. The morning's clear, bright conditions had been replaced by a build up of large clouds, which heralded heavy showers. The group were relieved that the first part of the afternoon would be spent under cover. They made their way to the Marco Polo lounge and settled down in their seats. Since there was time before the talk actually started, David ordered a round of drinks. Once these had need delivered, the lights dimmed and the lecturer began with the words:

"This afternoon, I would like to talk about 'legal highs' and the unintended consequences of prohibition."

He continued by outlining the steps taken by the legislative authorities to attempt to stamp out cannabis and the countermeasures taken by the criminal fraternity to circumvent the ban. The classification of cannabis as a class 'C' controlled drug had not eliminated its use, and more concentrated and powerful forms of the drug such as skunk had been developed. He went on to mention that other substances were now being sold for their mind altering effects. He also said that each time a substance was identified and banned, the dealers would come up with another one, which was still not actually illegal. Some of these substances were clearly marked 'Not for human consumption'. The authorities were thus engaged in a continuous 'catch-up' game with the drug dealers. The second part of the talk described the steps taken to ban alcohol in the USA during the 1920s. This step had the full backing of the 'Christian Right', who saw alcoholic drinks as the greatest evil ever visited on mankind. It seemed a good idea at the time, but the unintended consequence of prohibition was the greatest crime wave suffered by the United States in the twentieth century. He also mentioned that more people died as a result of consuming the illegal liquor than died of alcohol related conditions during a similar period when drinking was legal, to say nothing of the deaths in inter-gang fights and confrontations with the Police. He ended by saying that the legacy of prohibition in the USA was a whole mish-mash of drinking laws in different states, with some still 'dry'. It had also led to several 'drinking' ages', ranging from 18 to 25. He said that his final talk would concentrate more on cannabis and describe the steps taken by one very determined Republican senator to try to stamp it out. It's title, by coincidence, was linked to one of the songs to be performed by the group singing that evening. He closed by saying:

"I'll see you all tomorrow morning. It should be a fascinating and surprisingly topical session."

Once they left the lounge, JJ looked outside and ascertained that there was no rain falling at this particular moment. The group decided to take advantage of this short clear spell to enjoy some fresh air out on deck before preparing for the evening. Grace had made it known to David and Sonia that she was going to dress up for this evening and that she had asked Jeremiah to do the same. The ship was sailing through a gap between showers, and the strait between Denmark and Sweden, the Kattegat. Their course after leaving Aarhus would take them round the northern tip of Denmark and then Westwards round the South of Norway and out into the Northern North Sea. Once they had made their way up the stairs to the outside deck, they headed for the area ahead of the bridge and surveyed the scene. They were sailing North with the coast of Denmark to their port. The visibility was not clear enough for Sweden to be visible. Their location and course, as well as the approaching evening made JJ think of the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen making their night-time escape into the North Sea by this route in May 1941.

"We're on the track of one of the most notorious escapes during the second World War." said JJ.

"Oh?" said Grace, questioningly.

"On 20th May 1941," said JJ, "The German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen sailed this way from the Baltic Sea out to the North Sea."

"You do seem to be a walking encyclopaedia." commented Grace, "Where did you learn all these facts?"

"Mainly reading all sorts of non-fiction books." said JJ, "The war at sea is of particular interest to me, right through from the Graf Spee to the battles between the Americans and the Japanese in the Pacific."

"Where were they headed for initially?" asked David, more to test JJ than out of curiosity.

"Bergen in Norway." said JJ, "But they didn't stay there very long."

"You're right." said David, "You do know your wartime history."

After about half an hour, it was plain that a heavy rain shower was imminent. All six people rapidly headed for the lift lobby and down to their cabins. After about an hour, they emerged, dressed for the evening. Grace wore a bright red halter neck cocktail dress, which left her back bare to the waist. JJ wore his best black Suit, this time with a white bow tie. The parents, not wanting to be left out, also dressed formally.

"Wow again!" exclaimed JJ, as he caught sight of Grace, "I like your idea of a surprise. I don't think I've ever seen so much bare back. It's really beautiful, and elegant." He paused, "You can be my lady in red tonight."

"Thank you." said Grace, "I somehow knew you'd like it, and yes, I do love that song."

"I can't think anyone could fail to like the way you've dressed this evening." said JJ, "You look gorgeous. I hope you've got something more for tomorrow's formal evening."

"I certainly have." said Grace, "That will be another surprise, which I know you'll love."

"I'll look forward to that." said JJ.

All six people headed for the 'Captain's Club' bar for their aperitifs before dinner. As usual, they had dry sherries. The discussions were mainly about the afternoon's drugs lecture. JJ expressed his opinion that it was probably almost impossible to ban anything by force of law. He mentioned his 'friend' Cook, who was the main source of illicit drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy at Roundview. He had ended up on the wrong side of the law on several occasions. JJ didn't know Cook's present whereabouts, but he did know that the murder charge against him regarding John Foster had been dropped on grounds of self-defence. David noted that Grace's decision to dress formally had not put them into a small minority, as there were several other couples in evening dress in this bar. As half past six approached, they headed for the Waldorf restaurant. The turbot soup followed by roast lamb went down very well. As usual, David ordered the wine and his choice of a rich and fruity red was received with great pleasure by all. All chose ice cream for dessert.

The show was a fascinating one, as it was based loosely on the show 'Cabaret' and contained songs popular in Germany in the 1930's as well as songs composed for the show, some of them sung in the original German. JJ thoroughly enjoyed it and Grace liked it although a lot of the music was new to her. When the two families left the lounge, they felt they had been taken back in time to a former era.

"I wonder what it was really like living in Berlin back then." said JJ, "The club scene would have been quite lively, but the Nazis were on the rise. It wouldn't have been very good to have been Jewish back then."

"That's true." said David, "In 1933, the Reichstag was burnt down. The Nazis blamed the Communists and used this as a pretext to maintain their power and eliminated all the opposition parties. That era, and the resulting war gave Germans and Germany a bad name for several decades afterwards. My parents still thought of all Germans as vicious goose-stepping Nazis, full of hatred and bent on world domination. This feeling about the Germans lasted into the 1960s, 20 years after the end of the war."

By this time, they had Made their way up a deck and into Scott's bar, where the DJ was already providing the music. As they entered, JJ had a quiet word with the DJ before returning to Grace, who was holding a seat for him, not that he would be occupying it for much of the remainder of the evening. Once they had sampled their drinks, they started dancing. After about half an hour, an announcement was made that a special request had been received for a slightly unusual piece. The DJ then played the Shostakovich waltz he had played the evening after the visit to St Petersburg. JJ and Grace took to the dance floor. Once he had acclimatised himself to Grace's completely naked back, he danced a Viennese waltz with her to this sentimental and slightly quirky tune.

"Those two make such good dance partners." remarked Edward, "They seem to know instinctively where to put their feet. Grace certainly lives up to her name. She's so graceful."

"I think you're right." said David, "They're completely in tune with each other, and I don't think I've ever seen Grace smiling so much."

"Jeremiah's been happier than I've ever seen him as well." said Edward, "I'm not very good at reading this sort of thing, but I would guess that they've fallen in love with each other."

Once the waltz had finished, JJ and Grace rejoined their parents and took a few more sips from their drinks. After three or four more songs, they resumed dancing intimately to 'Happy Together' by the Turtles and 'Baby I'm-a-Want You' by Bread. Returning to their seats, they finished their drinks ready for the last two slow dances. These were 'Something' by the Beatles and, to end the evening, the song which had now become JJ and Grace's signature tune: 'Follow You, Follow Me' by Genesis. At the end of the song, they kissed each other as if they really meant it. After this, the DJ delivered another surprise. He played 'Lady in Red' by Chris de Burgh. Once again JJ and Grace danced cheek-to-cheek and kissed again when it finished.

"I guess you requested that last one." said Grace.

"Oddly enough, I didn't." said JJ, "I think the DJ recognised us and noted the colour of your dress."

"You two seem to be really happy in the each other's company." said David, as all six people started to go back to their cabins, "You were dancing so close this evening."

"Yes." said Grace, "I might as well admit it. We are in love. I've never met anybody so close to my true ideal as JJ. He's got the same tastes as me, and he seems so considerate towards me. He's really lovely."

"We'll see how you two feel about each other when the going gets a bit rough." said David.

"What do you mean?" asked Grace, "Our feelings are getting stronger if anything."

"I was thinking short term." said David, "Tonight, we round the Southern tip of Norway and sail out into the Northern North Sea, which could be quite rough at this time of the year."

"That will be interesting," said JJ, "But it shouldn't affect how I feel about Grace. If anything it'll bring us even closer to each other."

JJ gave Grace an affectionate cuddle. They kissed again.

"JJ, when we started dancing as a couple this evening," said Grace "You seemed a little hesitant about touching my bare back. Did it disturb you?"

"Well," said JJ, "I was a bit worried about your reaction when I touched your skin. There was so much of it uncovered."

"You needn't have been." said Grace, "I wouldn't have worn this dress if I didn't want you to touch me. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes, I did." said JJ, "Once I'd got used to the feel of your lovely soft, smooth skin. It was a totally new experience for me."

"You have lived a sheltered life." said Grace,"Have you never held a girl before?"

"Not properly before I met you." said JJ, "My doctors said I should avoid any association with girls."

"How wrong they were!" said Grace, "I don't know whether you might relapse when we get home, but I don't think you will. I think I've done more good for you in under two weeks than all the doctors and psychiatrists have done over many years."

"You're certainly right about that." said JJ, "I don't ever remember being so contented or so at peace with myself as I am now."

"You two seem to me to be so good for each other." interjected David, "I don't think I've ever seen my Grace as happy or serene as she has been since the second day of the cruise. As I've said already, I can only put it down to her meeting you. I think trying to keep you two apart once we get back to Bristol would be a catastrophic mistake. I'm just beginning to believe you're made for each other."

By this time, the group had reached their cabins and it was time JJ and Grace to say 'goodnight'. They kissed gently but passionately before enjoying another peaceful and satisfying night's sleep. Both of them were now happy in the knowledge that their newly established relationship had David Blood's approval.


	13. Chapter 13: The North Sea

**Chapter 13: The North Sea**

By the time JJ and Grace woke up the next morning, the ship was moving about quite a lot. They had passed the Southern tip of Norway and were now sailing North-West across the Northern North Sea, and would hold this course at least until midnight. There was a strong North-Westerly breeze, and the sea was quite rough. The young couple got up early, met each other and made their way out on deck. Despite what David had said, they enjoyed the wind, the fresh air and the movement of the ship. JJ stood behind Grace, with his arms round her waist.

"This is lovely." said JJ, "The air seems even better than in the Baltic, don't you agree, Gracie?"

"I do." said Grace, "The sea looks beautiful with all the waves having little white crests. The ship rides them well. Incidentally, where would you like to have breakfast this morning."

"I'd like to go to the Waldorf." said JJ, "We won't have to keep getting up to get refills of tea or coffee, but it's usually your dad who decides."

"That's why I asked you." said Grace, "I can talk him into going there. I can think of a couple more reasons to go there. Marco's is near one end of the ship and will move more, and in the Waldorf, it's the waiters who have to keep their feet while the ship rolls."

The pair strolled towards the stern, so they could watch the wake the ship was creating. After watching it for a while, they returned to their cabins.

"You're looking very happy this morning." said David, as Grace entered, "Did you enjoy your morning stroll?"

"Of course!" said Grace, "It was so refreshing. I feel so alive after that. There's something I want to ask you."

"What's that?" asked David.

"Could we have breakfast in the Waldorf?" asked Grace.

"Certainly, but why?" said David.

"Apart from actually getting the bits and pieces for the meal," said Grace, "We don't have to keep getting up for refills of tea and coffee. Also, being nearer the centre of the ship, it doesn't move about as much as Marco's. In any case there's more of a relaxed atmosphere down there."

"Okay," said David, "The Waldorf it is then."

Meanwhile JJ entered his cabin beaming. He too felt properly alive after his pre-breakfast stroll.

"I feel so good this morning." said JJ, "I think getting some fresh air before breakfast is Good for me. Especially out here where the air is so pure."

"I guess the company helped." said Edward.

"Yes, she did." said JJ, still smiling, "Spending time alone with Grace is always good. Incidentally, I've suggested to her that we breakfast in the Waldorf, if that's okay with you."

"That's alright." said Edward, "It's more peaceful in there."

After a while, Grace knocked on the door, and everyone left their cabins and headed for the Waldorf restaurant. Once they had found a table for six they settled down and were served hot drinks, tea for Celia and Edward and coffee for the other four. Despite the rough sea, they all had cereals and full fried breakfasts. After these, there was still over an hour before the start of the talk. JJ and Grace persuaded their parents to join them on the deck ahead of the bridge. They repeated their stroll of earlier in the morning accompanied this time by both sets of parents. All enjoyed the fresh air and the view of the waves. The weather, which had been clear earlier, now showed signs of becoming showery. Just before ten thirty, they took their seats in the Marco Polo lounge for the morning's drugs talk. This one was entitled 'Harry's Game' and concentrated on the activities of the Republican politician, Harry J Anslinger and his motives in outlawing cannabis in the United States.

He began by mentioning that Harry was appointed as head of the newly formed Federal Bureau of Narcotlcs. Following the end of alcohol prohibition, he organised a particular vendetta against cannabis or Indian Hemp. He blamed Mexican immigrants for its spread in the States. He insisted on calling it Marijuana because this sounded more 'Spanish'. He also compiled a dossier of two hundred cases where it was alleged that marijuana had caused people to turn into ruthless murderers. These, he called the 'gore files'. One of the cases concerned a young man, Victor Licata, who murdered his entire family with an axe, allegedly under the influence of marijuana. The speaker went on to say that Harry J Anslinger implied that Afro-Americans were more likely to commit serious crimes driven by marijuana, thus inserting a further racial overtone into the controversy. Thus, the speaker suggested, prejudice against Afro-Americans and Mexicans was behind the campaign against marijuana. He also promoted a campaign against jazz musicians as he felt they were another class of people he disliked, who were influenced by addiction to marijuana. The problem was, the speaker continued, that 198 of the 200 'gore files' had little or nothing to do with marijuana addiction and the other two could neither be proved or disproved. Victor Licata, the axe murderer was already suffering from a serious mental illness not connected with illicit drugs, which would have led him to commit these crimes sooner or later anyway. The speaker concluded by drawing parallels between Harry J Anslinger's campaign, mainly aimed at Mexicans and the current presidential campaign in which the Republican candidate classified them as rapists and murderers, thus warped facts and fake news were nothing new. He said that it was noteworthy that cannabis use was now legal in Canada and several of the United States as well as the Netherlands. When asked what the title of his talk had to do with the evening show, he said that the signature tune to the old TV spy series 'Harry's Game' was on the programme.

"Well," said David, "That was an eye opener."

"It was." said JJ, "I can't recall any of us coming to serious harm from smoking spliffs."

"Nor can I." said David, as they emerged from the lounge, "Cannabis was used a lot more when my predecessor, Harriet was director and she had very few problems. There was James Cook of course, but he had other problems unconnected with drugs."

JJ had a look out of one of the windows and ascertained that it was raining heavily outside. He noted that there was still an hour before lunch.

"What do you suggest we do between now and lunch?" asked JJ, "It's somewhat wet outside."

"That's good." said David.

"How come?" asked Edward.

"Rain which has had very little warning doesn't last long." said David, "It should be over after lunch. I suggest we have a drink."

With this comment, the group crossed the lift lobby into the 'Captain's Club' bar and occupied a group of seats.

"What's it to be?" asked Edward, as a waiter approached.

JJ asked for a glass of sweet white wine, while Grace ordered a sweet sherry. All four parents had medium dry sherries.

"We all seem to be a little less dry this morning." commented David.

"Like the weather." said JJ, grinning, "Harry Anslinger's policies against cannabis certainly do have echoes in more recent American politics."

"They certainly did." said David, "Senator Trump seems to be even more anti-Hispanic than Harry Jacob Anslinger. He's even threatened to deport all twelve million Latin-American citizens from the USA."

"How's he going to do that?" queried JJ, "Set up concentration camps? What happens if the 'countries of origin' won't accept them back? The answer to that one is horrifying. At least, the drug policies set up in the late thirties only proposed imprisoning offenders, not killing them, unlike what was happening to the Jews in Germany at that time."

"That's true." said David, "I don't think any American politician would get any votes for openly proposing genocide. That's probably why Trump isn't saying exactly how he would enforce his proposals. Anyway, let's get off this subject, it's too depressing. It's nice to be on a ship in the middle of the ocean without continuous news about the American presidential election."

"Grace," said JJ, "I suggest you bring a thick cardigan when we go to the show this evening."

"Why is that?" said Grace.

"There is some news I have heard." said JJ, "There's been a powerful solar flare in the last couple of days, so the Northern Lights should be visible from a lot further South than usual. Hopefully, it will be quite a show. We're more than sixty degrees North at present. They might even be visible from England, so we should see quite a lot from up here. It's going to be quite cold outside, so you'll need that cardigan."

"I'll try to remember," said Grace, "But remind me when we leave the cabins before dinner, then I can get it."

"Let's hope the sky is clear." said JJ, "The rain should have gone by then, Also, the moon should be out of the way."

"I guess you two are going stargazing tonight." said David.

"We're hoping to see something better than the stars." said JJ, "I'm hoping to see the aurora tonight. There's been a solar flare, so it should be visible from where we will be this evening."

"When will you be going?" asked David.

"Immediately after the show." said JJ, "Would you like to join us?"

"Possibly." said David, "It depends how I feel after the show. How did you get to know about it?"

"When we were on that walking tour yesterday," said JJ, "I noticed a television set in the windows of a shop. The subtitles were in Danish, but I could make out enough of them to realise that the peak of the Northern Lights would be tonight."

After some further discussions about the causes of aurorae and several other topics, it was time for lunch. The left the 'Captain's Club' and made their way astern to Marco's restaurant. They had a light buffet lunch as they had all had full breakfasts and intended to dine in the Waldorf. It was obvious as they looked out of the windows, that the rain had ceased. It was still fairly cloudy, but, once lunch had been finished they decided to have a stroll on deck. The wind was still quite strong and the sea was still choppy, rough enough in fact to require anybody walking round the ship to use the handrails.

"This is so refreshing." said David, "I'm beginning to realise why you two like coming out on deck. I was never much of a sailor, but I'm quite enjoying this."

"Although it's not very warm." said Celia, "I've only been out here for half-an-hour, but I'd already like to go back inside."

"I agree." said Edward, "Let's go to one of the bars. Jeremiah, we'll be in the 'Captain's Club' bar when you want to come in to somewhere warmer."

"Okay." said JJ, "We'll see you there in, probably, about two hours."

"Don't forget it's a formal evening." said David, "Allow time for Grace to change into whatever she's going to wear."

"We will." said Grace.

With this, all four parents went indoors to the bar to 'thaw out' after their exploration of the outside decks, while JJ and Grace headed up to the open area ahead of the bridge. By this time, the clouds were gradually clearing and promised a clear evening and a starry night. This would be perfect if the Northern Lights put in an appearance.

"I don't think daddy likes cold weather." said Grace, "It's not too bad out here. It'll be colder tonight."

"Not if the wind stays high." said JJ "That should stop the temperature dropping too far. The fact that we're at sea should help."

The young couple stood facing forward, riding the movements of the ship like seasoned mariners. JJ held Grace by the waist. They stood like this for about half-an-hour, before going astern to the pool deck where they indulged in drinks, a Cointreau for Grace and a Lagavulin single malt whisky for JJ.

"We're still heading North-West." said JJ, "I hope we're on the same course at ten o'clock this evening. That way we'll get a good view of the lights."

"How many other people on the ship know about this?" asked Grace.

"No announcement has been made," said JJ, "So I would guess, not many. Some will have heard the news on personal radios, so I don't think we'll be alone."

After about an hour and a half, once they had finished their drinks, JJ and Grace went along the deck to the 'Captain's Club' bar where their parents were waiting.

"You're earlier than we expected." said David, "There's still time. Would you two like a drink?"

"If that's okay," said Grace, "I'll have a Cointreau and I think JJ is having a single malt whisky. I'm not sure which one."

"Lagavulin." said JJ.

Their glasses refilled, they settled down once again. David felt he had something to raise with JJ.

"I hope you don't mind," said David, "But we've been discussing you while you've been enjoying the fresh air. Sorry to keep harping on about this. Celia tells me that you've been a lot more relaxed since you've been on the cruise. How do you feel?"

"I don't know how to put this," said JJ, "But I feel more 'human' somehow. Yes, I am more relaxed. I knew I was different from other people, but I now feel 'normal', whatever that means. I've never felt like this before. I like the feeling."

"How do you explain the change?" asked David.

"I've got to be honest." said JJ, "I put it down to meeting Grace. Never was a young lady better named. She's Grace by name and graceful by nature."

Grace, was blushing.

"That was such a lovely thing to say about our daughter." said Sonia, "She's also a changed girl since we started the cruise. I now truly believe it was encountering you on the second day that started the transformation. I see two young people who have more than found each other. You two seem to almost have a psychic connection."

"Well," said JJ, "I do seem to know what she's thinking. The other thing I've noticed, is that I can read facial expressions, not only Grace's. That's something I couldn't do before meeting her."

"Your face is also more expressive than before," said Celia, "You're smiling almost all the time. It's wonderful to see."

"That's because I'm happy." said JJ, "I used to be sceptical about such things, but I'm beginning to believe in the motto 'Amor vincit omnia'. She's rescued me from merely existing. I now feel I'm living."

"I would guess that you've read 'Canterbury Tales' from that comment." said David "You surprise me every day. There's more to you than meets the eye."

"Yes, I have." said JJ, "I found that a smattering of German made Chaucer's old English text more understandable, although It's a lot harder than Shakespeare. Talking of Shakespeare, once you've got into his plays, the King James Bible holds no terrors."

"I agree with you on that one." said David, "That was English at its best."

"The Catholic Douai bible is similar." added Sonia.

"The rapidly developing romance between you two has had another unexpected effect." said Edward, "Up till now, Jeremiah has been a closed book to me. Since we began this cruise, I can relate to him. He's a lot more open and, yes, human since he met your Grace."

"And you've come out of your shell as well." said Celia, "You haven't been so lively for many years."

"It seems that every time I raise this topic," said David, "I get more positive feelings about my Grace's relationship with your Jeremiah. Grace is supremely happy and radiates a serenity that I haven't seen before, and Jeremiah is unrecognisable from the nervous, panicky Asperger's boy I knew at Roundview. He now strikes me as an intelligent, knowledgeable young man, who would be an asset to any family."

Both JJ and Grace were blushing by this time. After this, they finished their drinks and headed back to their cabins to get ready for dinner and the evening show.

"Who's performing this evening." asked David, "Did anyone look at today's newsletter? I know we had a clue about 'Harry's Game' this morning. It must be someone special."

"I think it's a group called 'Celtic Woman'." said JJ, "They sing traditional Irish songs in Gaelic as well as popular and religious songs. They're backed by a sizeable orchestra. The stage will probably be quite crowded. Apparently, the ship is taking them from Aarhus to Cork."

"Where did you get all that information?" asked Edward.

"It was all in the ship's daily newsletter." said JJ.

"It's good that somebody reads it." said David, "Well done, Jeremiah. From your description of them, they should be good.."

"I've seen a couple of YouTube videos of them." said JJ, "They're amazing. If you like Enya, you'll love Celtic Woman."

"Tonight's show should be worth seeing." said David.

They reached their cabins and prepared for the 'formal' dress dinner. This time, JJ decided to add a splash of colour. He wore his best three piece suit, but this time with a red bow tie. Grace put on the long, light blue strapless evening dress she had originally intended to wear at the first 'formal' evening. David, not to be outdone, wore a tailcoat.

At about half past five, Grace knocked on the door of JJ's cabin. He opened the door, surveyed Grace, smiled and gasped.

"You're looking breathtaking this evening." said JJ, "That dress is beautiful, and I like the way you've pinned your hair up clear of those lovely shoulders."

"Thank you." said Grace, "I thought I'd make a bit of a splash on our second 'formal' evening."

"You've certainly done that!" said JJ, "Incidentally, have you brought your cardigan? You'll need it later on."

"Yes, it's in here." said Grace, indicating her shoulder bag.

Since there was nearly an hour before dinner, the small party adjourned to the 'Captain's Club' bar for aperitif sherries.

"I must say," said David, addressing JJ and Grace, "Each time I see you two, you're looking more like a real couple. Tonight, you almost look like the two most important people at a wedding reception. You're being so affectionate towards each other."

"Thank you, daddy." said Grace, smiling broadly, "We really feel like a close couple now. We're so together."

JJ and Grace were sitting on a sofa next to each other. As if to underline David's comment, JJ's arm was across Grace's bare shoulders. He caressed her arm and cuddled her. They looked into each other's eyes, smiled and kissed. It was obvious that JJ had overcome his qualms about touching Grace's skin, and both of them were now free of any inhibitions about expressing their intense affection for each other in front of their parents.

By the time they had finished their sherries, it was nearly time for dinner, so they descended the two decks to the restaurant. The creamy vegetable soup went down very well, after which JJ and Grace both ordered the shepherd's pie. David ordered a medium sweet white wine as the parents were having plaice and chips as their main dishes. JJ's shepherd's pie gave rise to a brief discussion about meat and potato pies.

"Logically," said JJ, "Shepherd's pie should be made with mutton,because the shepherd would only kill the older sheep, those which are of no further use except for eating."

"Although, nowadays, shepherd's pie will nearly always be made with lamb." said David, "With any other meat, it would be cottage pie, although I take your point about mutton."

"Unless what is under the potato is fish." said JJ, "Then it would be called fish pie or ocean pie."

"That depends if you class fish as a meat." said David, "If your religion encourages you to abstain from meat on Friday, you can still eat fish."

"Some of the Irish regard poultry as fish." said JJ.

"How come?" asked David.

"This belief involves the barnacle goose." said JJ, "Since barnacle geese seemed to come from nowhere, these Irish believed they were hatched from barnacles, and therefore were fish. This belief spread to all poultry, thus justifying eating turkey when Christmas Day fell on a Friday."

"That does sound quite 'Irish' and somewhat pragmatic." said David.

At this juncture, the group were joined by the captain and his first officer. They sat either side of JJ and Grace and posed for photographs.

After this interruption and their main dishes, David proposed profiteroles with ice cream all round. Since nobody disagreed with this, profiteroles it was. They were served not only with ice cream, but with a generous helping of double cream.

"This is both delicious and luxurious." said JJ, as he tucked in to the dessert, "It really crowns the meal."

"It certainly does." said Grace, "But it must be quite fattening."

"If you can't indulge yourself on a cruise," said David, "When can you?"

"Incidentally, I think tonight's show is going to be popular," said JJ, "So we'd better go straight to the Marco Polo lounge after we've had coffee to get good seats."

"That's a good idea." said David, "We can order drinks in there."

Once the coffee and cheeseboard had been dealt with, the two small families left the restaurant and ascended to the Marco Polo lounge and selected a group of seats. Not long after this, a waiter appeared with a tray and asked for their order. JJ as usual had a Lagavulin malt whisky and Grace had Cointreau. Edward and Celia had port, while Grace's parents had brandy. As JJ had expected, the lounge filled up quickly. Even before the musicians started assembling on the stage, every seat was occupied.

The set began with 'The Call', a slow song about the call to faith. This was followed by 'Ths Coast of Galicia', a fairly lively fiddle solo. The girl playing the violin danced around quite a bit while playing. There followed a couple of songs in Gaelic and Cesar Franck's 'Panis Angelicus'. Both JJ and Grace were spellbound. After this, the fiddler had another solo spot. She played a piece called 'Granuaille's Dance', a very lively Irish dance, while leaping energetically all over the stage. When the applause had died down, a lone bagpiper could be heard from behind the audience playing 'Amazing Grace'. One of the group started singing this song joined later by the chorus, the orchestra and four more pipers. A couple more songs in Gaelic followed including 'Tír na nÓg'. Next came a riveting account of the Bach-Gounod 'Ave Maria', followed by an electrifying account of the 'Harry's Game' signature tune. After a couple more numbers, it was time for the official last two songs, appropriately, 'Sailing' and then 'You Raise Me Up'. However, this was not quite the end. Once the applause subsided, the 'finale', 'Mo Ghile Mear' was performed while the individual singers and the fiddler each took their bows. The song ended with the full ensemble including all five bagpipers performing. The applause at the end of this was tumultuous, and took some time to abate.

Once it was obvious that the musicians were leaving the stage, Grace, JJ and their parents left the lounge and started on their way up to Scott's bar. Once they had reached deck nine, JJ mentioned that he had an appointment with a possible aurora. Despite his enthusiasm earlier, David declined to join JJ and Grace on the outside deck. The ship was still on a North-Westerly course, so the view to the North was not spoiled by lit up parts of the vessel. When JJ and Grace reached the open deck ahead of the bridge, it was evident that they were not alone. There were already about thirty people up there.

The aurora didn't disappoint. The solar flare had been particularly strong and the Northern Lights were probably visible form as far South as Norfolk. The whole Northern sky was filled with glowing green curtains of light, gradually moving about, forming and reforming. Their lower edges were tinged with red.

"This is so beautiful!" said Grace, "I've never actually seen them before, only seen pictures on television. I did wonder whether they actually existed, but here they are. It's not a good night for the stars, because of the aurora, but it more than makes up for it."

"Are you glad I dragged you out here into the cold?" asked JJ.

"Of course I am!" said Grace, "Daddy doesn't know what he's missing."

By this time, the number of people in this area had doubled as more of the second show audience joined the skywatchers. After about half an hour, Grace admitted she was feeling the cold and asked to go back indoors. JJ and Grace made their way along the deck and rejoined their parents in Scott's bar, where the DJ was already providing music for the late night revellers.

"Well," said David, "Did you enjoy nature's light show?"

"It was wonderful." said Grace, "I've only read about them or seen them on television before. It was amazing to see the Northern Lights for real. They're so beautiful. What makes them?"

"They're caused by electrically charged particles from the Sun interacting with the Earth's magnetic field." said JJ, "There's normally a steady stream of particles coming from the Sun, but you usually have to go right up to the Arctic Circle to see them. When there's a solar flare lots more charged particles hit the Earth's magnetic field and the aurorae are visible a lot further South. That's what's happened this evening. It was a really good show."

"Anyway, what did you think of tonight's entertainers?" asked David.

"I think they were inspiring." said JJ, "They could really sing and they had voices like angels. That fiddler girl was amazing. How does she do it, playing like that while dancing all over the stage, especially on a moving ship. I felt uplifted at the end. The aurora just put the finishing touch to a marvellous evening."

"It's not over yet." said Grace, as the DJ played another classical waltz, "Could you dance to this one?"

JJ joined Grace on the small dance floor and danced a fast 'Viennese' waltz to the delicate and graceful second movement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. As it concluded, they once again embraced and kissed passionately. After this classical interlude the more modern dance music resumed. JJ and Grace danced to the slower numbers. The music ended with 'Baby I'm a Want You' by Bread. As the group left the bar, JJ suggested that before they returned to the cabins, they have a look outside to see if the aurora was still visible. They made their way forward to the deck in front of the bridge. The ship was now sailing due West, so the Northern Lights could now be seen off the starboard side of the ship. They were still visible and worth seeing, but were not so bright as they had been earlier in the evening. JJ, Grace and their parents stayed watching the aurora for about twenty minutes before descending to their cabins.

"That's amazing!" said Celia, "It's like watching huge glowing curtains slowly moving about. Jeremiah's often told me about them, but I never thought I'd actually see them."

"Those 'curtains' are over seventy miles up." said JJ, "That's why there's light, but no sound."

David and Sonia were speechless while watching the display, although David did express the thought that they all should have watched it immediately after the show. As they made their way along the passageway towards the cabins, they discussed what they had just seen.

"That was worth going outside in the middle of the night for." said Sonia.

"It was a lot brighter just after the show." said JJ, " And the 'curtains' of green light had red edges."

"I can now say I've seen the Northern Lights." said Edward.

"That solar flare was an added bonus." said JJ, "It made today one of the better days of the voyage."

"It was certainly a memorable day." said David, "The Anslinger talk was interesting. The show was the best one on the whole cruise and the Northern Lights were the icing on the cake. Anyway, it's well after midnight, so let's get some shuteye."

The group had now reached the cabins. They entered them and enjoyed a peaceful and satisfying night's sleep.


	14. Chapter 14: The Irish Sea and Unity

**Chapter 14: The Irish Sea and blessed Unity**

The third and last 'At Sea' day of the cruise, in contrast to the previous clear evening, dawned with a lurid red sunrise. The weather was to prove the old saying: 'Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning'. The very brief interval of almost horizontal reddish sunlight soon gave way to dark clouds and persistent heavy rain. JJ and Grace met outside their cabins, but did not spend a lot of time on deck as the light in the East was rapidly being overcome by the oncoming cloud. Also, the first drops of rain were beginning to fall.

"What would you like to do this wet morning?" asked JJ.

"You did say that you play different music depending on your moods." said Grace, "So far, you've only played me the more 'pleasant' side of your classical music selection. Your moods must sometimes make you want to hear something more aggressive. I'd like to hear some of that."

"Okay!" said JJ, "But you might not like it. I'll put the I-Pod on charge and we'll go to the 'Captain's Club' bar after breakfast. It should be quiet there in the morning."

"I don't think anything classical could be more 'aggressive' than Richard Hardbeck's heavy metal." said Grace.

The two returned to their cabins and, after an interval, went with their parents to breakfast. JJ had connected his I-Pad to its charger, intending to collect it after the meal.

Since this was their last full day at sea with no excursions, they decided to eat all three main meals in the Waldorf restaurant. For a change, JJ chose a three-egg omelette with mushrooms onions and diced tomatoes as his principal dish. With this, he had a couple of hash browns.

"That looks a somewhat vegetarian option." said a surprised Grace, "You usually have the 'full Monty' when we come in here."

"I thought I'd have a change." said JJ, "In any case, this is lighter than a full English and almost as satisfying. I do like eggs."

"I had noticed." said David, grinning, "And you certainly like your breakfasts."

"I find a good breakfast is the overture to a good day." said JJ, "And I want today to be a good day."

"Anyway," said Grace, "This morning, JJ's going to play me some of his more aggressive music. What are you folks planning to do?"

"Since we're nearly at the end of the cruise," said Sonia, "And there are no more 'formal' evenings, we thought we'd like to have a bit of a rest and do a little packing."

"We'll be doing the same." said Edward.

"Where are you going to have your music session?" asked David.

"In a quiet corner of the 'Captain's Club'." said JJ.

"We'll see you there between eleven and half past." said David.

"Okay!" said JJ, "We'll be expecting you. See you then."

After having their leisurely breakfast in the Waldorf restaurant, JJ and Grace went to the 'Captain's Club'. They went via their cabins so that JJ could collect his I-Pod and two pairs of headphones. Once these had been collected and the young couple had settled down in a corner of the 'Captain's Club', JJ presented Grace with one of the pairs of headphones.

"I'll start with something you might know." said JJ, "But I don't think you've heard this version."

JJ played the original choral version of Mussorgsky's 'Night on Bald Mountain'. Grace seemed to react favourably. She was obviously excited by the livelier passages. At the conclusion, she smiled and her eyes lit up.

"I have heard 'Night on the Bare Mountain' before," said Grace, "But not quite like that. It was fantastic."

"That was one of the composer's own versions of the piece." said JJ, "I guess you're more familiar with Rimsky Korsakov's version, or even Stokowski's reworking of that one for the film 'Fantasia'."

"Yes, that was the one with dancing hippos and ostriches." said Grace, "The most memorable part of that film was Mickey Mouse as the sorcerer's apprentice."

"Anyway, did you like it?" asked JJ.

"I loved it." said Grace, "Although that piece, even in that version isn't majorly 'aggressive'."

"I'll play some more 'aggressive' Russian music." said JJ.

He played the second movement from Shostakovich's tenth Symphony, followed by 'The Montagues and Capulets' by Prokofiev.

"I know 'The Apprentice' sig tune," said Grace, "But what was that first piece?"

"That was the second movement from Shostakovich's tenth symphony." said JJ, "It was composed shortly after Stalin's death and was a portrait of the Soviet dictator. Apparently, there is a music textbook which states that that movement was the origin of heavy metal music. Was that aggressive enough for you?"

"Certainly!" said Grace, "I can see how you can work out your violent thoughts through this music. Have you anything more along those lines?"

"Yes." said JJ, "But first, I'd like to play some more 'Halloween' music."

With this, JJ played the last two movements from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. He mentioned that this was one of the pieces possibly written under the influence of drugs in the nineteenth century. He followed this by playing 'The Dance of the Pagan God' from Prokofiev's Scythian Suite. JJ mentioned that one comment on YouTube said that this might also have been the origin of metal music.

"That last piece was manic." commented Grace, "I suppose we'd never have met if I'd known about these pieces when I was trying to persuade Richard Hardbeck that there was heavy energetic music outside 'Death Metal'."

"It might surprise you to know that that last piece was composed as long ago as 1915." said JJ, "Nearly forty years before the Shostakovich. I feel we need some tranquility after that. Here's something that you might like. It lasts less than two minutes."

JJ selected a piece of music on the screen of his I-Pod, but covered the screen with his other hand, so that Grace could not see what he was playing. He sat back in his chair and watched for her reaction. Grace smiled beatifically, closed her eyes and took out a tissue to wipe away the tears escaping from them.

"Well, that was unexpected." said JJ, "I'm beginning be able to read your expressions but that one sent mixed messages. I'm sorry if I made you cry."

"It - it was so beautiful. I wasn't crying." said Grace, her voice trembling with emotion, "Those were tears of ecstasy. I was getting full body goosebumps. I thought music like that could only be made in Heaven. What was it?"

"You'll be surprised to learn that it was a piece of ballet music." said JJ, "It was the 'Pavane of the Sons of the Morning' from 'Job' by Vaughan Williams. The piece was inspired by some pictures William Blake created to illustrate the book of Job in the Bible. That short extract matches well the frame of mind you put me into when you first met me."

"I didn't realise I'd had quite such a deeply tranquillising effect." said Grace, "Please play it again."

"Okay!" said JJ, "I'll follow it up with a couple of more 'aggressive' pieces from the same work."

JJ played the pavane again and followed it with 'The Dance of Job's Comforters' with its powerful organ outburst and 'Satan's Dance of Triumph'.

"That last piece was both disturbing and exciting." said Grace, "There is an old saying that 'the Devil always gets the best tunes'. That piece amply demonstrates that. I suppose it's more than a coincidence that so many devilish and magic pieces including the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' are in some form of triple time. That one sounded like six eight."

"I think we need a little bit of peace after those pieces." said JJ, "What do you think of this?"

JJ played the prelude to 'Khovacschina' by Mussorgsky. Grace listened intently and smiled. Once again her face was a picture of serenity.

"That was so lovely." said Grace, "It was the music of dreams. I guess you listen to that kind of thing when you want to be completely calm."

"Just so," said JJ, "But it doesn't always work. It might calm me down while it's playing, but then I have to play some 'angry' music to work out my frustrations."

"And there seems to be no shortage of that on your playlist." said Grace, "I'd like a little more peace before we start exploring hell again."

"Would you like to hear some more of 'Job'?" asked JJ.

"I would, if the quieter bits are as lovely as the pavane." said Grace.

"I'll play all the piece from the beginning of 'the Dance of Job's Comforters to the end." said JJ.

With this he selected a different recording and played the second part of Job, beginning with the wailing saxophone representing the first of the comforters. JJ and Grace sat back and listened to this music with rapt attention for about twenty minutes. Grace's expression throughout was one of tranquil ecstasy. She had never heard such sustained serenity in music before.

"That has got to be music from Heaven itself." said Grace, as the music finished, "I love the way each section merged seamlessly into the next. It was beautiful."

JJ looked at his watch.

"Our parents should be joining us fairly soon," he said, "But I'll play you something orchestral and see what you make of it. I won't tell you what it is before I play it. Here goes."

JJ concealed the screen from Grace while he selected 'The Storm' from Jim Steineman's album 'Bad for Good'. Grace listened carefully to the piece.

"That sounded like film music, the background to a battle." said Grace, "Which film was it from?"

"It wasn't from any film." said JJ, "It was the prelude to a hard rock album by the guy who wrote Meatloaf's songs, Jim Steinman."

"Wasn't Meatloaf the artist who recorded 'Bat out of Hell'?" asked Grace.

"The very same." said JJ, "'Bad for Good' was to have been his second album, but he lost his voice, so Jim Steinman brought it out himself."

"Do you know what orchestra that was?" asked Grace.

"It's not mentioned anywhere, but it does sound very like the New York Philharmonic orchestra at the time Leonard Bernstein was in charge." said JJ, "The attack, the life in the playing and the balance between sections all point to that. I might be wrong, of course, but that's what they sound like."

The couple's parents entered the bar and sat either side of them on the long sofa. David sat next to Grace while Edward settled next to JJ.

"How are you feeling after the rough side of Jeremiah's music?" asked David.

"Fine!" said Grace, "Although it was powerful and, yes, aggressive, there was beauty there and it was inspiring. The parts of 'Job' he played were heavenly."

"What's 'Job'?" asked David.

"It's a ballet, based on William Blake's illustrations to the book of Job in the Bible." said Grace, "The composer, whose name escapes me called it 'a masque for dancing' rather than a ballet."

"Ralph Vaughan Williams." interjected JJ.

"He started it with a little extract, only two minutes." said Grace, "But it sounded like music composed in heaven. Although it was short, it was so serene."

"That short extract seemed to express how calm I was once your Grace had worked her spell on me." said JJ.

"Yes, he did mention that." said Grace, "I was surprised."

"I'd like to hear this." said David, "Could you arrange that?"

"Certainly," said JJ, "My I-Pod is still connected. I'll play the Altar dance as well."

JJ put one set of headphones on David and donned the other himself. He played the Pavane and then the Altar Dance. David's expression was one of beatific tranquillity.

"That was really beautiful." said David, "I didn't realise such music existed on earth. I take your point about heaven. I love the way the pavane merged with the altar dance. The two themes weaving in and out of each other so perfectly. It seems not all of Jeremiah's music is aggressive."

"I felt that I would give Grace too much of an ear bashing if I only played the more forceful music," said JJ, "So I included some calming interludes between the louder pieces. Of course, the Satanic music from 'Job' is quite loud."

While this conversation was taking place, a waiter had approached their table and medium sweet sherries were ordered all round.

"Who do we have to thank for these?" asked David.

Edward owned up to placing the order.

"Cheers, Edward!" said David, "I'll buy the after-lunch drinks,"

"That's okay," said Edward, "And you can call me Ted."

"Wow!" said Celia, "You have come out of your shell. You haven't let anyone call you that for at least eight years."

"Do you believe in fate?" asked Sonia.

"I'm beginning to." said David, "I'm starting to think that it's more than a coincidence that both our families booked this particular cruise and, as a result, Grace met Jeremiah. Those two seem to have been so good for each other."

"That's true," said Edward, "Jeremiah's happier than I've ever seen him, and your Grace is positively glowing with joy."

JJ and Grace were both blushing by this time. Neither of them were used to having such nice things being said about them.

"Is anyone going to the talk about the Earth's magnetic field this afternoon?" asked David.

"I think we all will." said Grace, "It should be quite enlightening after what we saw last night, and I'm not talking about Celtic Woman."

JJ chuckled. Grace was smiling as JJ appreciated her joke.

"You're full of surprises on this holiday Jeremiah." said Celia, "I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before. It's wonderful to hear."

"I'm laughing because that struck me as slightly funny," said JJ, "And I'm feeling happier than I can ever remember. Grace has shown me that there's more to life than humdrum ordinariness."

"Incidentally, Jeremiah," said Celia, "Have you been taking your medication?"

"I don't think I have." said JJ, "I'm seriously beginning to wonder whether I really need it."

"Well," said David, overhearing this, "Jeremiah has struck me as a completely normal, happy young man. He's nothing like the, albeit academically able, but nervous and panicky student I knew at Roundview."

"I think that's a result of the effect your Grace has had on him." said Celia, "Ever since he met her, the smile has rarely left his face."

"Anyway, it's nearly lunchtime," said Sonia, "Shall we all go down."

With this, having finished their sherries, the group descended to the Waldorf restaurant. On the way there, JJ called by his cabin to put the headphones and music player away. The other five waited for him in the lobby. Once they had established themselves at a six-seat table, they perused the menu. One of the starters was billed as 'Cream of Tomato Soup'. On the face of it this didn't seem very inspiring, but JJ had noticed the word 'Spicy' and ordered it. Grace, taking her cue from him, did likewise. The parents chose cheese salads or prawn cocktails. Bearing in mind where they would be the next day, and despite the fact that there were more 'gourmet' options on the menu, the main item ordered by all was 'Irish Stew' because it promised to be simple, tasty and satisfying. David ordered two bottles of a rich claret to go with this meaty dish.

"Do you realise that this is the last time we'll be having lunch here?" commented David, "The excursions tomorrow don't return until half past one, so we'll be having a late lunch in Marco's."

"After which, we'll spend the rest of the afternoon settling up and packing." said Edward.

The starters arrived.

"This is different." said Grace, as she tasted the soup, "It is very spicy."

Sonia tried a spoonful.

"That was really delicious. "said Sonia, "When I saw tomato soup on the menu, I wasn't very impressed, but I wish I'd ordered it now. Still, c'est la vie."

The Irish stew didn't disappoint. It was, as predicted, simple, tasty and satisfying, with just the right amount of potatoes. Once this had been finished, the dessert menu was presented. Again the choice was unanimous, apple pie with either double cream or custard. The parents had custard. JJ and Grace opted for cream. Once coffee and the cheeseboard had been dealt with, the discussion revolved around what to do before the talk, which didn't begin until three o'clock.

"The rain appears to have stopped." said JJ, looking out of one of the windows, "I think we should have a walk round the deck."

"That's a good idea." said David, "I feel I need to walk off that meal, especially since I want to enjoy my dinner this evening. We can order the drinks just before the talk."

When the group emerged onto the open deck, it was obvious that not only had the rain stopped, but the clouds were breaking up. The sun was beginning to shine and the wind had dropped. The ship was sailing South on a relatively calm sea. No land was visible in any direction.

"We could be anywhere," said David, but I suspect we're somewhere between North-West England and Northern Ireland."

"And tomorrow, we'll see a little bit of the Emerald Isle." said JJ, "I'm looking forward to that."

"So am I." said Grace, "I've enjoyed the European places we've visited, but it'll be nice to be somewhere where everyone speaks English again."

"Not everyone in Ireland speaks English." said David, "Quite a few speak Gaelic, and some Irish accents are quite hard to fathom."

The group spent about an hour up on deck, discussing various topics and enjoying the fresh air. At about half past two, they headed for the Marco Polo lounge for the talk, and David ordered a round of drinks. The ladies had port, while David and Edward had brandy. JJ had a Lagavulin single malt whisky and Grace had a sweet white wine.

After about half an hour, and the hubbub of conversations died down and the speaker's spotlight came on.

"For centuries," he began, "Navigators have been using the Earth's magnetic field to find their way around the globe."

He projected a picture of a magnetic compass onto the screen, and went on to point out that in the days of old, no-one connected the operation of the compass with the Northern Lights or the dark spots visible on the disc of the Sun, when it was dim enough to be viewed directly. The talk continued with some quite spectacular colour slides showing the way the Earth's magnetic field interacted with the continuous streams of charged electrical particles coming from the Sun. This interaction, he explained, was the cause of the Northern, and Southern Lights. The next part of the talk was devoted to the subject of sunspots and their relationship with solar storms and coronal mass ejections.

"Last night," he continued, "the Earth was in the direct line of one of these coronal mass ejections. Although we were too far South to see the 'normal' aurora, the solar storm's interaction with our magnetic field caused them to be seen a lot further South. If any of you were out on the darker parts of the deck in the evening, you would have seen the results. There were reports of last night's lights being seen as far South as North Wales and East Anglia. We were sailing between the Orkneys and Shetland."

The talk concluded with a series of pictures of aurorae. The speaker explained the different colours end their relationship with the energy levels of the solar wind. JJ was listening with rapt attention although he was already familiar with the subject Matter being explained. Again, he snapped out of his 'trance' as soon as the talk finished.

"Did you learn anything from that?" asked JJ.

"Enough to realise that we should have braved the cold and gone out immediately after the show." said David.

"It was certainly worth seeing." said Grace, "Some of the 'green curtains' did show some 'high energy' colours."

"Seeing an aurora as strong as that as far South as we were last night is very unusual." said JJ, "We were exceptionally lucky that the solar storm happened when it did. Sometimes, people go on a 'Northern Lights' cruise and see nothing."

"Anyway," said David, addressing JJ and Grace, "It's a couple of hours before dinner. What are you two thinking of doing? We'll be spending the time relaxing and probably drinking in the 'Captain's Club'."

"Actually," said Grace, "We'd like a little time alone together. There's one or two things I'd like to talk about with JJ. Since the sun is shining, we're thinking of going out on deck. We'll join you later."

JJ felt slightly apprehensive at this comment from Grace. He wondered what she was going to discuss. His latent natural pessimism was beginning to resurface. However, he joined her to go to the pool deck, where they would not be overheard.

"Don't look so worried." said Grace,"I'm not about to dump you if that's what you were thinking. Far from it."

"That rather depressing thought had occurred to me." said JJ.

"It looks as if I'll have to do some more work on your insecurities." said Grace, "We're too deeply in to each other for either of us to consider parting. Anyway, we're here. Let's sit down."

The couple found a couple of vacant seats at a table on the pool deck. JJ ordered drinks, a Lagavulin single malt whisky for himself and a Cointreau for Grace.

"I'm sorry if I worried you just now." said Grace, "I suppose, on almost the last day, it was only natural for you to be worrying about what we're going to do after this cruise. I can reassure you that whatever happens, we will continue seeing each other, so don't fret."

"That's a relief!" said JJ, "Over the last couple of weeks, you've been my inspiration. You've kept my wild thoughts in check without actually doing anything but being you. You're just such a wonderful person."

"That's why I want to talk to you," said Grace, "Because you've been just as important to me. I know we've only known each other for a fortnight, but I can't envisage an existence without you in it."

"That almost sounded like a declaration of love." said JJ, "If it's any reassurance, I feel the same way about you. Yes, I love you, my sweet Grace."

"Yes, it was a declaration of love." said Grace, "I've never felt like this about anyone before. Not even Rich. Yes, I love you as well."

"That's sweet." said JJ, "I do believe in fate now. I'm certain now that we were meant to meet on this ship."

"I'm also beginning to feel that." said Grace, "When the cruise set sail, we were two rather depressed young people being taken on a 'different' holiday to see if it would help. We met, and over the last fortnight, we've got to know each other. Although we come from different backgrounds, our cultural tastes are the same. The best thing of all is that we get on so well with each other. It's a match made in heaven, don't you agree."

"I do." said JJ, "Another good thing is that your dad seems to have accepted me for who I am. I was expecting problems from that quarter, but he's very different from the college director I knew at Roundview."

"I think he's mellowed a lot since the shock of my car crash." said Grace, "After all, he did nearly lose me. It was touch and go for a time but, thankfully I've completely recovered."

"Now you're back to being the adorable Grace that must have touched Richard's heart." said JJ.

"That was such a sweet thing to say about me." said Grace. "Yes, I do feel I've completely recovered now, and now I've met you, I'm ready for life. Daddy really likes you. That's the icing on a wonderful cake."

"From what you say," said JJ, "It looks as if our future is falling into place. I'm not certain how to put this, but an additional factor is that I've got this feeling deep inside that you're becoming an essential part of me."

"I get the same feeling." said Grace, "I know it's happened almost indecently quickly, but that feeling is there. I can no longer imagine life without you somewhere in it."

With this, JJ and Grace finished their drinks and returned to the 'Captains Club' bar, but not before enjoying a long and ardent kiss and revisiting the area ahead of the bridge. Their PDA had not gone unobserved. They arrived at the bar just as David was offering to buy a round of drinks. JJ and Grace had new drinks, the same as before.

"What have you two been discussing while we've been relaxing?" asked David.

"We've had something of a heart to heart conversation with each other, and we've come to an important conclusion." said Grace, smiling broadly, "After discussing how we both feel about each other, we've decided that we are truly a couple."

"Yes," said JJ, "We've realised that we totally love each other and feel that each one of us is an essential part of the other. I hope you're happy with that."

"Surprisingly, I am." said David, "When you first met, I was apprehensive, but over the last fortnight you two seem to have grown together. There seems now to be a real connection between you."

"Thank you." said JJ, "I now feel free to be happy when I'm with Grace without nagging doubts."

"That's one of the things I like about you, Jeremiah." said David, "You're open and honest about your feelings. I know that's unusual, but I think it's good. Anyway, it's nearly time for dinner. We'd better think about going down to the restaurant."

Once they had finished their drinks, the group left the bar and headed down to the Waldorf restaurant. JJ and Grace held hands on the way there. As they were waiting to be seated, JJ had a chance to peruse the menu. It was obvious that steak and chips was the principal dish. Three different cuts of steak were on offer, rump, sirloin and t-bone. This was preceded by either salads, or two different soups, a thin vegetable soup or cream of mushroom. While the parents chose various salads, JJ and Grace selected the cream soup.

"Having steak on the menu seems like a celebration." said Grace.

"Yes, it does." said JJ, "It's a celebration of us confirming our overwhelming feelings of love for each other."

"That's a sweet thought." said Celia, "I like the new happy, caring Jeremiah. I think Grace has transformed you more than she'll ever know. Incidentally, this steak is perfect."

"I think we're all in agreement about that." said David, who had ordered the t-bone.

"It's expected to be cloudy tonight." said David, "So what are you two young people thinking of doing after the show?"

"Now we're certain about our feelings for each other," said Grace, "I think we'll dance the night away in Scott's The DJ there seems to be on our wavelength."

"That makes sense." said David, "This evening is the last 'normal' evening of the cruise. Tomorrow afternoon, we settle up and pack."

The meal was topped out with profiteroles and ice cream, followed by coffee and the cheeseboard. The show consisted of more songs from the shows. This time giving prominence to Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. JJ and Grace sat very close together, with their arms round each other's waists. They were smiling almost non-stop throughout the performance. Once the final applause had subsided, the group made their way to Scott's bar and occupied a group of seats. JJ and Grace got up and danced to the first few numbers. When they paused to enjoy their drinks, the DJ made what to them was a surprising announcement.

"For most evenings during the voyage," he began, "There has been a young couple in this bar late at night, who really seem to be in to each other. They proved that to me on the pool deck this afternoon. I see they're in here tonight. The next few numbers are for them."

JJ and Grace blushed.

He then played 'Baby I'm a Want You' by Bread, followed by 'Follow You, Follow Me' by Genesis. This, he followed with the Shostakovich waltz he had played during the interval of the set he had played on the evening of their first day in St Petersburg. JJ and Grace smooched to the first two pieces and once again danced a Viennese waltz to the Shostakovitch.

"I don't know where you two get all that energy." said David, as the couple briefly resumed their seats, "I'd be flaked out by now."

"That's because you're old." said Grace, with a smirk.

"Cheeky!" commented David, "I'm not that ancient. Incidentally, what did that DJ mean when he said you'd proved how much you were in to each other this afternoon?"

"I think he must have seen us kissing just before we came down to you." said JJ.

At midnight, after JJ and Grace had smooched to the last two slow dances, the DJ wound up his set and announced that the next late evening's entertainment would be provided in the 'Captain's Club' by a country rock group as he had been given the night off. This prospect pleased JJ and Grace as they had danced to them earlier in the cruise. Following this announcement, the group made their way back down to their cabins to enjoy another night's peaceful slumber. JJ and Grace slept particularly well, as they now knew exactly how they felt about each other, and now firmly believed that their future lay with each other.


	15. Chapter 15: A Touch of the Emerald

**Chapter 15: A Touch of the Emerald**

It was the last full day of the cruise and it promised to be a busy one. The two small families had two excursions booked between them. JJ, Grace, Sonia and Celia had booked the 'Panoramic Cork and Blarney Castle' tour, while the two men were going on a tour of Cork and a visit to the old Jameson Distillery. In contrast to the previous day's voyage down the Irish Sea, the weather was set fair with the sun shining down from a cloudless sky.

As both of the tours started at half past nine, breakfast was a buffet in Marco's. For JJ and Grace, this was preceded by an early morning stroll round the outside decks, including the area ahead of the bridge. They watched the approach to Cobh before returning to the cabins to join their parents for Breakfast at about eight o'clock.

"Welcome to the last full day of this cruise." said JJ, as Grace opened her cabin door.

"That's a sad thought," said Grace, "But let's make the most of it. It's about half past six, so let's get up top and enjoy the early morning sun."

When they emerged into daylight, the Irish coast was in sight to starboard with the ship slowly approaching the harbour. Unfortunately, they would be in Marco's restaurant enjoying breakfast when the ship actually docked.

"It certainly looks green." said Grace, seeing the intensity of the colour of the land.

"It's not called 'The Emerald Isle' for nothing." said JJ, "I suppose it's because of the amount of rain that falls on it. Still, it looks as if today's going to be good."

"Yes, the sea on the other side of the ship is really sparkling." said Grace, "Are you looking forward to the day?"

"Certainly!" said JJ, "Any time spent with alone with you is worth looking forward to."

"That's true." remarked Grace.

"Today's excursions will be slightly different." said JJ, "We're going out with our mothers, while our dads enjoy a whiskey distillery. Do you think they're testing us?"

"Don't be so pessimistic, JJ." said Grace, "Daddy wasn't particularly interested in the Blarney Stone, but he did want to see the inside of a distillery. I really will have to work on these little bursts of insecurity. I think this should put your mind at rest."

With this comment, Grace embraced JJ and kissed him long and passionately.

"I've got to admit it," said JJ, "I actually needed that. Anyway, both of the excursions include the city of Cork, so we'll all see it."

"Will you be attempting to kiss the Blarney Stone?" asked Grace.

"It depends how much of a contortion I have to perform to reach it." said JJ, "I'm told it's quite difficult. You literally have to bend over backwards."

As they were standing watching the slow progress of the ship towards Cobh Harbour, a Brittany Ferries ship could be seen leaving the harbour and heading South on its way to France.

"It seems that not only cruise liners use this place." observed Grace.

"Yes." said JJ, "That one is on its way to Roscoff in Brittany."

"That sounds as if it ought to be in Russia." said Grace, "It's almost Natásha's family name from 'War and Peace', which was 'Rostóv', or 'Rostóva' for ladies."

"I don't think the name has any Russian connotations," said JJ, "But the Breton name for it is Rosko. It's nice to have a Russian sounding connection with our last visit. Russia was where we first realised we were truly in love, in St Petersburg."

"And that's where you found out you could console me when I cried." said Grace, "Little things like that are important to me. I've seen many sides of your personality on this cruise, and that was one of the more endearing ones. Daddy had told me about this nervous, panicky boy with what was thought to be Asperger's syndrome. Now I've actually met you, I've discovered that you're about the most adorable human being I've ever met."

JJ was blushing scarlet. He was still finding it hard to adjust to anyone saying such nice things about him. Feeling that someone outside his family actually loved him deeply was an entirely new experience. He was blushing because he was embarrassed by Grace's complements, but in spite of this, he felt good inside.

Once the Brittany ferry was well on its way, the couple decided it was time to rejoin their parents in the cabins.

"And what have you two been discussing so early in the morning?" asked David, as Grace entered her cabin.

"Oh, various things," said Grace, "Including the very Russian sounding name of the place in France where the ferry sails to from here."

"What's that?" asked David.

"Roscoff." said Grace, "It's in Brittany."

"What prompted that?" asked David.

"We happened to see a ferry leave the harbour and sail South." said Grace, "JJ said it was going to Roscoff in Brittany."

"That does sound a bit Russian." said David, "Anyway, now you're back, we might as well go to breakfast."

The two families met in the corridor outside their cabins after Grace had knocked on the door of the Jones's cabin. As already agreed, they went to Marco's but still had a full English (Irish) breakfast as there was plenty of time before the departure time of their excursions. They settled at a table on the port side of the ship as this was near the egg chef's location. Fortuitously, it was near a window on the side of the ship nearer the dock. Before the main course, muesli seemed to be the cereal of choice for all six people together with toast and marmalade. The meal was topped out with coffee. After they had refuelled for the day, there was still time for a short stroll on deck before they assembled in the Marco Polo lounge for the excursions. The 'Cork Highlights and old Jameson Distillery' tour was called first.

"Have a good time," said Sonia, "And don't get drunk."

"I don't think there's much danger of that," said David, "The amount of drink you're usually given as a sample at these places is very small."

The two fathers departed on their excursion. Barely had they left when the 'Panoramic Cork and Blarney Castle' tour was called.

Grace, JJ, and their mothers left the lounge and joined the rest of the people on that tour on the quayside, from where they were guided to the coach which was waiting for them. Several people headed for the 'wrong' side of the vehicle as they had become accustomed to boarding left hand drive coaches at all the earlier ports on the cruise. Ireland, of course drives on the left, like Great Britain. Once they had found four seats, they settled in and waited for departure.

"You're looking pensive." said Grace, gently, "What's worrying you?"

"This is our last excursion together." said JJ, "I'm thinking about what's going to happen when we all return to the reality of 'normal' life."

"This is reality." said Grace.

"I feel I've been living in an enchanted world for the last fortnight." said JJ, "And in that world, I've found my 'Fairy Princess'. I'm worried that this might be a dream and I'll wake up to my old humdrum world tomorrow."

"Don't fret, JJ." said Grace, "I've every intention of seeing you when we get home. It isn't a dream, it's real."

Sonia had overheard this conversation and reassured Grace that she could carry on building her relationship with Jeremiah. She went on to say that he was just as good for her as she was for him.

"I've been observing you two," said Sonia, "And I've seen how much you've come to mean to each other. I believe it would be disastrous to try to separate you, so don't be worried and enjoy all the days and nights that you know will be."

Sonia was smiling as she quoted some words from what was now JJ and Grace's favourite Genesis song, almost their signature tune. Once all the tourists were seated, the coach departed for the City of Cork. The commentary on the various buildings they passed gave brief histories of them. Particularly outstanding was St Finn Barre's Cathedral in the centre of the city. Several other churches were pointed out together with the City Hall and other prominent buildings. All too soon, after a few photo stops, the coach departed for Blarney Castle.

"Are you ready to bend over backwards?" asked Grace.

"Of course!" replied JJ, "That's what we've come here for, isn't it?"

When the coach party reached the castle, the guide asked who was prepared to kiss the stone. A few hands went up including those of JJ and Grace. The guide did warn that required a quite difficult contortion and was not possible for the more infirm, and in any case was at the top of the tower and many steps had to be climbed. At this, some of the hands went back down. The seven remaining more eager 'volunteers', including JJ, Grace and Sonia, were escorted to the top of the tower, while the rest of the party were taken on an 'easier' tour of the castle. When the lucky seven reached the top, JJ was the first to try out the 'contortion'. As he leaned back, Grace and the guide held on to him as he kissed the Blarney Stone. JJ held Grace as she did the same, and she held on to Sonia, both assisted by the guide. When all seven had kissed the stone, they were taken on a shorter tour of the rest of the castle before returning to the coach.

"How hungry are you two after all that?" asked Sonia.

"I think climbing all those stairs has given me an appetite." said JJ, "I'm ravenous. I hope there's plenty to eat at Marco's."

"There should be," said Grace, "They haven't let us down yet."

"I guess the ship has taken on some provisions while we've been touring." said Sonia, "Tomorrow afternoon, she sails away from Avonmouth with another load of passengers, and Ireland could be cheaper for some things."

Both coaches, the one from Blarney Castle and that from the distillery arrived back at the ship at about the same time. JJ, Grace, Sonia and Celia met David and Edward on the quayside before boarding the ship. They all headed straight for Marco's for lunch before returning to their cabins. JJ found that a thick creamy potato and onion soup followed by a pair of lamb chops with roast and boiled potatoes and peas went down very well. by coincidence, Grace had chosen the same thing as JJ. The dessert, apple pie and custard proved too tempting for them to choose anything different.

Once David and Edward had settled up their on-board accounts, the next two hours were spent packing and preparing for the suitcases to be collected before all six of the group assembled outside their cabins and enjoyed a reasonably energetic pre-dinner walk round the decks. The weather was still pleasantly warm, so, after about an hour and a quarter, they headed for the pool deck to enjoy their aperitif drinks al fresco before dinner.

"One more night on board," said David, "Then most of us get back to reality."

"Most of us?" queried Edward, "Who isn't returning to reality?"

"I'm hoping the 'reality' for Jeremiah and Grace will be very different from what they experienced before they met each other." said David, "Anyway, what's in tonight's show after dinner?"

"I think it's going to be a mixture of what we've already had." said JJ, "A little bit of everything. It should be entertaining. At least, that's what it said in the daily sheet."

"As I said before," said David, "At least somebody reads it."

"I suppose 'reality' will be different for all of us." said Grace, "If all continues to go well between us, you won't have to put up with a pair of young miseries."

"That's a thought." said Edward, "I must say that I'm feeling much more cheerful talking to the 'new' Jeremiah. I know it seems an odd thing to say about my own son, but he's seemed far more like a normal human being since he met Grace."

"I don't normally believe in 'fate' or predestination," said David, "But I now strongly believe our two families were meant to come together on this ship. What do you think, Jeremiah?"

"That thought occurred to both of us several days ago, just after our first day in St Petersburg," said JJ, "When we realised that we both had really deep feelings for each other. They started almost as soon as we met, but our love, yes, it is love, really took hold the evening after we had enjoyed 'Swan Lake'. That was the night we indulged our 'War and Peace' fantasies when we first danced to that Shostakovich waltz. We imagined ourselves to be Andrew and Natásha at some grand palace ball."

Grace was smiling and nodding agreement during this conversation, as what JJ was saying exactly mirrored her own feelings, especially when he said he imagined her to be Natásha Rostóva when he danced with her. The time for their last dinner at sea was fast approaching, so, their drinks finished, they all made their way down to the Waldorf restaurant, where they were shown to what had become their regular table.

"I see lamb shank is on the menu again." commented JJ, "I think I'll have that."

"My thoughts exactly." said Grace, "What are you going to have as a starter?"

"I think I'll have the oxtail soup." said JJ, "We appear to be on the same wavelength again."

"You certainly do!" remarked David, "We're going to try the plaice and chips."

Edward and Celia chose roast pork and apple sauce. David treated the group to three bottles of wine, one red, one white and one rosé. Much to David's surprise, JJ and Grace chose the red, while the rosé and white were shared between the parents.

"What inspired you two young people to choose red wine?" asked David.

"We felt like being 'conventional' for a change." said Grace, "It's usual to have red wine with meat."

All chose chocolate sponge and ice cream for dessert. This was served with a generous helping of chocolate sauce. When this and the cheeseboard coffee were finished, everyone headed briefly back to their cabins to make sure everything was ready for sleep that night and the next morning's early start. The show was, as expected, a medley of the previous shows put on by the ship's entertainers. Particularly appreciated were the ABBA songs and a short dance routine. At the close of the show, the two families adjourned to the 'Captain's Club' where, as announced, the country rock band was playing.

"This is a nice final evening to the cruise." said JJ, "Dancing to my favourite genre of music with the girl who has become my favourite person in the whole world."

With this, JJ wrapped his arms around Grace and kissed her passionately. Both partners now felt this to be completely natural.

"That was so nice." said Grace, "Do it again."

JJ complied.

"Since you two met a fortnight ago," said David, "You've rapidly changed from acquaintances, to friends to lovers. I know I had doubts about it at the start but, as I've said before, you're so good for each other that I can only approve of your relationship."

"Thank you so much, daddy." said Grace, as she got up and started dancing with JJ to a slow number.

"Those two seem to have transformed each other." said Edward, "I don't know about Grace, but Jeremiah's really come to life since meeting her. He's sleeping well and he seems to have lost his pessimism."

"It's the same with my Grace." said David, as the young couple continued dancing, "She's usually fairly cheerful, but now she has a sparkle about her I've never noticed before, not even when she was with Richard Hardbeck. I'm so glad she's found somebody. Losing Richard because she took so long to recover from her brain injury broke her heart."

After a couple more dances, JJ and Grace returned to their seats for a breather and a drink. Edward bought a full round for all six.

"What are you two thinking of doing once we return to 'humdrum reality'?" asked David.

"You might be surprised to know that we've been discussing this on and off for a couple of days." said JJ, "In fact, since we realised that the cruise was nearing its end."

"Yes!" interjected Grace, "Since, because of various circumstances, including both our mental states, neither of us had applied for a university place, although both our 'A' level results were good enough to get us into any British university. We'd like to co-ordinate our applications in order to try, ideally, to get on to the same course, or at least into the same university."

"I feel it's best if we try to stay together." said JJ, "We've had a few deep discussions about this. We've decided that we seem to be so good for each other that life apart could be difficult, if not impossible. I, for one have no wish to relapse into the mental state I was in at the start of the cruise. I believe Grace feels the same."

"Yes, I do." said Grace, "I realise that we won't be seeing as much of each other when we get home, but I want to spend as much time as possible with JJ as I can. I know I'm good for him, and he's pulled me out of what seemed a never ending depression, just by being him."

"What a torrent of words!" said David, "You two have obviously kissed the Blarney Stone. You've also been thinking seriously about your futures. This is good. I know it's happened very quickly, but I do appreciate that you've both found something you need in each other. I'll do all I can to assist you in co-ordinating your university applications."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Blood." said JJ, "I really appreciate that."

JJ and Grace resumed their dancing, this time to a country rock number in triple time. The were once again in their 'waltzing' frame of mind.

"There's something I've noticed about those two." said Sonia, "That's that their minds seem to be connected. You probably didn't notice it because you're a man. Grace and Rich were also connected, but nowhere near as strongly."

"I didn't realise that." said David, "What made you think Grace and Richard Hardbeck had a connection?"

"When everyone came back after Grace's car crash," said Sonia, "Doug told me that he heard that at the instant it happened, Rich just froze for a second or two. He somehow knew that something terrible had just happened to Grace."

"That is strange." said David, "Perhaps, with hindsight, I should have been a bit more accommodating in letting Richard visit Grace in hospital, although it might not have changed the outcome. Richard still had to move on."

"Don't beat yourself up about it." said Sonia, "It might have speeded Grace's recovery and then again, it might not. Anyway, Grace seems to have found someone even more to her liking then Richard. He's certainly made an impression with you as well, so it was probably all for the best. The connection between JJ and Grace appears to be even stronger than the one she had with Richard. What do you think about it, Celia?"

"I think what has happened on this cruise is not far short of a miracle." said Celia, "We've just enjoyed a fortnight with a blissfully happy young man, who appears to have found a purpose in life. Long may it last. He's shown none of the symptoms of his autism since the first morning, when he met your Grace. Also, and this is remarkable, I don't think he's been taking his medication."

"It's amazing what love can do." said Sonia, " I get the impression from talking to Grace that this is more than a fleeting affair. Her feelings for your Jeremiah go really deep. I get the impression that she's ready to commit herself to someone, and that 'someone' is Jeremiah. Don't blush, but she tells me that she sees him as a kind, gentle, accommodating and affectionate young man. He's just the type she would ideally like to meet. The fact that he's intelligent and knowledgeable is a huge bonus. He has obviously had his problems, but you've brought him up well."

"Thank you, Sonia." said Celia, "We've tried to keep him on the 'straight and narrow', but he did meet all sorts at Roundview. He lost his two 'best' friends there. One, Freddie, was murdered, and the other, James Cook, and that's a famous name, ended up being charged with the murder of a Bristol psychiatrist."

"Yes, I know about that." said Sonia, "David told me all about it. All this happened about a year before Grace's accident and David leaving Roundview. That must have affected Jeremiah."

"It did." said Celia, "He was totally depressed and his 'Autism' symptoms got worse. We changed his doctor and the new one reduced his medication drastically. He also started him on a course of psychiatric counselling. This began to have an effect, but this was nothing compared to what Grace has done for him in the last two weeks."

"It's the same with Grace." said Sonia, "When she recovered from the brain haemorrhage and realised that Richard had moved on, she was a lost soul, so miserable. On this cruise, however, she's come to life. I've never seen her so deeply happy. Jeremiah, has changed her whole outlook on life. The fact that David really likes Jeremiah can only be a good thing. Anyway, here come the happy young lovers."

JJ and Grace returned to their seats for a breather and to replenish their drinks. JJ requested a Lagavulin single malt whisky, while Grace asked for a Cointreau.

"Jeremiah," began David, "What is it you like about that particular whisky?"

"I enjoy its smoky, peaty taste, " said JJ, "And this one is smoother than the other two from that part of Islay. Also, I imagine that this kind of whisky is very close to what J K Rowling envisaged as what she called 'Firewhiskey' in the Harry Potter books. I love it, I also like Ardbeg and Laphraoig, which are the other two whiskies distilled on the South coast of the island."

"What do you think of the Speyside whiskies?" asked David.

"I like them, but once I had tasted a Western Isles malt, I was sold on it." said JJ.

"How did you discover whisky in the first place?" asked David.

"Dad introduced me to it," said JJ, "First with mixers, then with water. Then he told me about the production process and finally let me taste single malt whisky."

"He's introduced you to it gently." said David, "That's good. I have noticed that you take your time enjoying it rather than gulping it down."

"If I 'gulped' it down," said JJ, "I wouldn't be able to enjoy the taste."

Midnight was approaching, so JJ and Grace got up to dance to the last three numbers before finishing their drinks. They danced particularly close as these would the last three dances they would enjoy before they disembarked. As the last dance finished, JJ and Grace kissed passionately before disengaging and returning to their seats to finish their drinks.

"Well," said JJ, "Those were our last dances together for a while. I'm glad we made the most of them."

"So am I." said Grace, looking at her watch, "Tomorrow, no, later today, we return to reality."

"That's true." said JJ, "But I hope it'll be a different reality from the one we left just over a fortnight ago."

"It will be." said Grace, "It'll be so much better, because we're a couple, totally in love, rather than two lonely depressed people."

By this time all the glasses were empty. JJ, Grace and their parents made their way to their cabins for the last time. Before they went inside, JJ and Grace enjoyed a long lingering goodnight kiss.

The next morning, all six gathered, with their hand luggage, in Marco's restaurant for an early breakfast before leaving the ship for the last time. They started to discuss future holidays.

"We'll have to do this again sometime." said Edward, "A cruise has a lot of advantages over a normal hotel or coach based holiday. You visit different interesting places each day, and your bedroom moves with you. There's entertainment every evening and the accommodation is at least half board. I think we've only had two lunches away from the ship."

"And those were included in excursions." said David, "We'll do this next year. Just before you two go to uni."

"We'll have to start planning that as soon as we get home," said Sonia, "It usually costs less if it's booked well in advance. Have you any idea where we might go next year, somewhere warmer perhaps?"

"The Eastern Mediterranean!" chorused JJ and Grace together.

"It should include Athens, the Peloponnese and some of the Aegean islands," said JJ, "Particularly Santorini."

"What do you find fascinating about that place?" asked David.

"I'm fascinated by the legends of Atlantis." said JJ, "The island of Santorini is one of the places that might have been the origin of one of them. About 3,600 years ago, there was a huge volcanic eruption there. The mountain collapsed into a caldera, resulting in the present crescent shaped island. The resulting tsunami is believed to have been what destroyed the Minoan Empire, when it hit Crete and washed away everything on the North coast of that island."

"I think that settles it then." said David, "That would be both educational and recreational, taking in the Mediterranean sunshine as well as the culture of Ancient Greece. The Eastern Mediterranean it will be then."

So it was that a casual meeting jbetween two lonely and depressed young people on a cruise ship bound for St Petersburg developed into a powerful and passionate romantic relationship between them. It was obvious to both sets of parents very early in the voyage that JJ and Grace were perfectly matched to each other both emotionally and spiritually. They realised that to try to separate them would be a disastrous move with potentially tragic results. In fact, there seemed to be a strong telepathic link between the two young people.

Once they had disembarked from the cruise and returned to the 'reality' of their normal lives, they found that this 'reality' was changed very much for the better. JJ and Grace spent as much time as they could with each other. As they had discussed on the cruise, they co-ordinated they university applications and were offered places on the same course at three universities. Psychologically, JJ went from strength to strength, losing all traces of his supposed Asperger's Syndrome. Both his doctor and his psychiatric counsellor agreed that despite the advice he had been given previously, JJ's stable relationship with a girlfriend was what had been missing from his life. They also accepted that, in his changed circumstances, JJ did not need to continue with his medication.

The couple accepted the places offered at the University of Warwick. Since the campus was near Coventry, they would be living with each other, but would not be too far from their Bristol homes. They also planned the following Summer's Eastern Mediterranean cruise, which they found even more rewarding than the Baltic one.

The relationship between JJ and Grace continued to flourish. After their first year at university, they became engaged to be married. The wedding took place at St Mary Redcliffe church a year after their graduation once they had both found well paid occupations in Bristol with good promotion prospects.

The relationship between JJ and Grace had also united two very different families in mutually rewarding friendships. In fact, David, Celia, Edward and Sonia became lifelong friends brought together by the loving relationship between their children, who they were able to support through the final stages of their education. Since JJ and Grace were living and working locally, their parents were able to enjoy grandchildren and were looked after by their offspring in their old age.


End file.
